Backstory: I went biking on Shelter Island yesterday. On the final downhill to the south ferry, a whole bunch of suicidal bugs attacked me.

Story: I woke up this morning and rubbed away the eye crusties. My left eye was troublesome. I picked around, pulled away my finger, and there was half a dead fly on it.

Hi VP superstars :)

Y'all have answered many a question for me in the past. I am an American living in the UK so I have some questions you might be able to help with.. but first some boring history!

-I have a tentative diagnosis of PMDD from 2006 but I'm not sure it's not something else.

-I have not used HBC of any kind since 2006, because the Evra patch made me lose my marbles and I'm kinda scared of it.

-I have phantom ovary pain on the right side, I'm getting a scan soon but so far we haven't been able to figure out why. I have a family history of fibroid masses/tumours (mom and maternal grandma) and endo (mom) so I want to know if I have uterus-adjacent shenanigans.

-I've historically had easy periods but so did my mom AND my aunt; didn't stop them from suddenly getting really really bad in their mid-twenties/thirties. This year I've had more bad periods than ever before: cramps, pain, and downright misery, as well as heavier bleeding on occasion. Nothing like what some of you face but it was a shocker for me, I can tell you.

-I used Prozac for two years to manage the depression/PMDD but it stopped working so now I am medication free since July 2008, I was managing fine but now I am NOT. Hence the seeking of assistance. :)

-I had a copper IUD from Feb 2007-Aug 2009 and loved it, but when this phantom pain cropped up and then didn't go away in early 2008 I always wondered if the IUD caused it. I now know it didn't and now I regret having it removed, because I LOVED IT.

QUESTIONS:

-I am considering, pending psych/gyno input from relevant doctors, trying HBC rather than antidepressants as a first port of call to regulate my moods a bit better and also hopefully, once we see if there's anything on the scan, to regulate this fucking pain that never comes at a regular point in my cycle. Is that a bad idea?

-I am looking mainly at low-estrogen pills, and am wondering if you have experience on tri-phasic pills? And if you could please point me to a resource about UK brands because I'm familiar with them in the US but no one knows what OTC/OTC-lo are here!

-I am wondering if you think perhaps a Mirena IUD is a possible option for me? I am concerned that I may have problems with cysts so I'm not sure, I thought Mirena was progestogen-only, and I thought perhaps incorrectly that P-only HBC was not a great idea with cysts.

-Anything else you have to add? I am frustrated with feeling like I am (going) nuts. I have been in a fairly deep funk for the last 6-9 months but it has been on and off, some is situational but some is definitely chemical, and I want it to stooooop.

-Also, if anyone has useful resources regarding what antidepressant medications are available in the UK, so that I can read up on them, that would be great. I want to take the medication process slowly and do my research first.

Thanks folks!!

Alright vp I need some advice?
Lately I have been getting the urge to pee alot, it gets alot worse at night, Ive actually had to get up to go to the bathroom during the night which never happenes. Also Ive noticed that if I go awhile without peeing it smells REALLY strong, only my pee not my actual vagina. My pee also sometimes but not all the time looks cloudy and when I wiped a few mins ago the toliet paper had blood on it. It also burns and hurts really bad and it feels likes I still have to pee really really really bad right after I go. I made a Dr. appointment for tomorrow after work, but I was wondering if this sounded like a UTI to you?

Thank you in advance!!

I have some wonderful terry cloth towels and they were huge for 250, and I wouldn't want to waste such good bathing towls on baby butt wipes if they wouldn't work, so any of you all have experience with using recyclable items like wash cloths for a toddlers poopy butt?

I have a sheer knit top with a scoop neckline that I'd like to turn into an off the shoulder top. It has a skinny rib neckband like a regular tshirt, which already stretches to fit around my shoulders, but fits tight and does not stretch anymore.

Normally, I would just cut off the neckband and leave it raw, but it's a semi-nice top and I don't want it to roll. I'm thinking that my only fix is to cut off the neckband and finish it with foldover elastic.

Any other ideas? The quicker and easier, the better, as I'll be handsewing everything and I want to wear the top in a few days!

Hi H-D, I come with questions regarding odors this time :(

# 1 - My parents have left the windows open during the days this weekend (mmm fall) but someone started burning leaves or something today, and now the smell is in the house. I'm sitting here with a bottle of water trying to stymie it, and coupled with obsessively spraying Febreeze every few minutes, I'm doing alright...but overnight, my eyes will likely swell up and I'll look atrocious :( suggestions, please??

# 2 - My pooch is on a fatty acid supplement for her skin, and the bottle leaked all over our countertop. It was wiped up with a wet washcloth and the smell is gone from there...but my mom tossed it into the wash along with the other rags and towels, and proceeded to dry them together as well. Now all the towels, rags, and both the washer and dryer smell like fish oil. It's vomitrocious. I've heard of doing vinegar rinses in the wash, but what can I do for the dryer? And can I do a vinegar wash with the towels and rags in there, or is it already too late for them?

---

# 3 - a non malodorous question! I'm finally getting around to scrapbooking for myself, and I wanted to know how you prefer to print pictures for books/projects. Right now, I just head down to CVS and use the self serve super fast way, but a friend of mine has a few HP printers that she uses to do pics at home. Do you find it's more economical to do this?

I am a dental hygienist. I have seen some pretty serious cases of dental neglect, but the cases in this photo album are way more gross than anything I've encountered personally. I thought they might be appreciated by you all.

FYI for you non-dental people, "calculus" is a fancy dental term for tartar.

Behold, the "Nasty Calculus" gallery!

I am particularly fond of picture #16. Enjoy!

So I thought I'd finally store my suitcase away, after letting it sit in a corner of my bedroom since a trip I took in February. I opened it up, thinking I might find a travel toothbrush or a forgotten pair of socks.

( Instead... )

Hi VPers!

First off, thanks to everyone who commented on my previous post about my questionable bladder infection/UTI. I did end up going to the doctor on Friday morning and my suspicions were correct. Yay antibiotics! However, I have a new conundrum.

I'm on the pill and am a fairly perfect user. I've never missed a pill before. I went to take my pill tonight and noticed it was Saturday's pill and not Sunday's. Now I know that if you miss the previous day's pill you should just take the missed pill as soon as you remember or along with the recent day's pill. This would not be a problem if I could remember whether I missed Friday's or Saturday's. Either day is plausible and neither myself nor my fiance can remember me taking my pill pack out of my purse both days.

Pregnancy protection is not an issue as we also use condoms, so I'm not worried about that. I'm wondering if I should just take the pill anyway or if I should just take the rest of the pack as normal, including the now extra pill. Or just forget that pill altogether. I'm sure this will probably throw my period off a bit.

I know, I know. Big convoluted question for something I probably shouldn't be worried about. Thanks in advance!!

My doctor at my campus health clinic just prescribed me Femcon FE and told me it would be cheap. I went to Walmart to pick it up, and expected to pay like $10. It was almost $70. Did they mess up, and give me the brand name or something? Is Ovcon the generic? I was horrified at the cost but luckily the college health insurance will reimburse me up to $75...but damn.

So, users of Femcon FE...Do you like it? Do you chew them or swallow them whole? I personally don't like the idea of chewing my pill so I'm not gonna do that. I'm switching from Microgestin, the generic of Loestrin, because I have break through bleeding ALL the time. Like every other week. It sucks. I was told by my doctor since the dosage of estrogen is higher in Femcon, it would lessen my break through bleeding...and maybe my zits too? But would more estrogen make me gain weight? I am very happy with my current weight and do not want to gain or lose any. Also...has anyone who has tried Femcon had dryness issues because of it? I'd hate for that to happen. Sigh. All these toss ups when it comes to HBC is starting to make me wonder if it is for me or not. I was on Yaz for a really long time and it was wonderful, but I couldn't afford it. I wish I could. It depends on my family's new health insurance. We'll see. Meanwhile...Thoughts on Femcon, even though I know any pill will effect any given person differently?

Thanks in advance :)

"

Man blames explosive diarrhoea for indecent exposure charge

article here:

arbroath.blogspot.com/2009/11/man-blames-explosive-diarrhoea-for.html

I know I'm a little late on the bandwagon, but I just wanted to show you this picture of my daughter as Boo from Monster's Inc. My mother and I collaborated on the costume. :)

I want to thank everyone who responded to my post a few months ago on behalf of my friend with vaginismus. (I can't find the original post right now--I lost a beloved pet last night and am almost too doped up to function.) She wound up ordering a dilator kit from the internet and after several months of patient effort on behalf of her and her husband, she finally consummated her marriage of three years!

Thanks a bunch for all of the suggestions and kind words. I'm so happy for those two, I could squee. I mostly wanted to post this to give hope to anyone struggling with the same problem.

Y'all are the best!

This is silly, but help me out here:

We have a cleaning lady coming for the first time on Wednesday. Obviously we don't want to leave an absolute stranger alone at our house. Equally obviously, I don't know what the hell to do while that woman's here.

Can I get away with just reading a damned book while she does her thing, and switching floors when she does so I'm on the opposite one, you think? I don't want to be rude, but I'm not sure staying out of her way isn't way less rude than following her around babbling a thousand miles a minute, you know?

this isn't exactly vag-related, but i wasn't sure where else to ask it.

when people say you feel a "tingling" before a cold sore develops - what exactly does that mean? is it constant or on and off? is it like an itch, or a pain, or like pins and needles...what?

i've never had a cold sore, but occasionally - like right now - i'll feel a tingly spot on my lip (almost like it's vibrating a teeny bit) and freak out and ponder running out to buy abreva or whatever. but yeah, it's never developed into a sore, not once. so i'm just wondering if there are any tell-tale signs that i should be looking for if it is, in fact, going to become a cold sore. i'd love to stop freaking out over nothing. :)

Hi crafters!

Lurker here.
I have a question about picture frames. Has anyone made their own custom picture frame from scratch? I've searched the internet for instructions but most require router saw [?] and I'd rather not go in that direction. 

If anyone has any ideas I'd love to hear them. I have several posters and picture that need framing and purchasing a lot of frames is going to get expensive. 

Thanks!

The boy and I got married last weekend. On our registry we asked for Calphalon Contemporary Non-Stick 10-Piece Set from Bed Bath and Beyond. At our wedding we received from Target, the Farberware Affiniti 12-pc. Cookware Set.

I know we need new pots and pans since the one's we currently use are from when I was in grad school and are dying but I am clueless as to what type/kind of pots/pans will be a good investment for the long term. As for cooking, we are average cooks, nothing to fancy. It would be nice to put pots/pans in the dishwasher but quality and longevity are important to me right now.


At BBB, the person helping us recommended getting the 10 piece set. Looking at both the Calphalon and Farberware sets, some of the items, we wouldn't use. With each set(description below for each) they are two very different materials. I'm more than ok with buying different pieces, I just don't know what materials are needed for what type/style of cooking.


The description for the Calphalon is-
-hard-anodized outside and non-stick inside combine durability and performance
-long, stay-cool handles,
-Glass covers
-Hand wash.
-Lifetime warranty.
Ten-piece set includes 8" omelette, 10" omelette, 1 1/2-quart covered saucepan, 2 1/2-quart covered saucepan, 3-quart covered saute pan and 8-quart covered stockpot.

The Description for the Faberware is
Pan-Pot Material: Aluminum
# Handle Material: Silicone
# Lid Material: Glass
# Set Includes: 1.5-qt. Saucepan with Lid, Slotted Spoon, 3-qt. Saucepan with Lid, 11" Skillet, 10" Skillet, Slotted Turner, 6-qt. Stockpot
# Care and Cleaning: Hand-wash Only

So just in the last 2 days I have made a number of pieces.... ( Click here for Pictures! )

I do however have a question, the clasps that have the spiral bit at the end, what are they used for? It's like a normal lobster clasp but instead of a loop to crimp cord to its a spiral like a split ring but maybe 5 or 6 rounds.

Thanks for looking, I do have more things I have made but alas my camera is over on my bed and my pieces are not yet unpacked.

A few years ago for Christmas  I made these for some younger girl cousins (im in my 40s there are lots).They are emeragancy kits for their car.

I went to a thrift store and got glitzy evening  purses for about $5 each (bought on sale, and brightly colored or metallic thats important so they are easy to find in the dark and cute helps when you are in an emergency it reminds you are loved. )

I then filled them with emergency supplys  different mixes for different people, you can adjust it to where they live and how much you want to spend. (most of mine ran around $20)

a first aid kit, sewing kit, small flashlight, a few hard candy's, a granola bar,a small can of tuna, packs of condiments and salt, small bottle of water, lighter,  adjustable screwdriver, folding knife, small note book, pen, a small amount of duct tape, a few ziploc bags, emergency cell phone charger,  one trash bag,  two pairs disposable latex gloves, a small tube of crazy glue, baby wipes, thermal blanket, gas card, phone card, quarters, $10 bill, and a tampon and pad.

I also added a list of what was in there so when they use things they can replace them and a list of phone numbers and addresses if their cell phones dont work.

most of the stuff can be bought at a doller store or in bulk.

(ill be posting more Christmas gift ideas later if anyone wants it)

ash

Can't believe Halloween is OVER already, for another year!! :(

Ah well... ( I still have all my SPOOKY CRAFTS!! Earrings, bracelets, and hair clips!! )

i looked through the memories already but couldnt find what i am looking for. today when i went to the bathroom i noticed i had blood in my underwear, nothing heavy just kinda like spotting. the reason im concerned is because im on birth control and i ALWAYS start my period on the same day each month around the same time. im 2 weeks away from the day i usually start, so this spotting is really unusual. ive been on birth control for years now and this has never happened once. my boyfriend and i had sex last night for the first time in a few weeks, but we've done that before and i never spot. so im wondering what your guys' thoughts on this is and if its ever happened to you

Ok y'all... I have a hunch or two about what these stones are, but perhaps you can provide more insight?

( Beautiful purple stones in here... )

So, we live in a condo, and we have little space for extra crap. I have a daughter who will be turning two in December, and combine that with Christmas, that means an influx of toys all at once.

My family understands that we have little space for toy storage, and we've done a few creative things to keep her toys in check,  like using two storage ottomans for toys and as our coffee table. But while we have found ideas for SMALL toy storage, we're having trouble thinking up ideas for BIG toy storage.

I know for a fact that my daughter is receiving at least three large plastic toys (for example, a plastic riding toy, a little people garage and things like that) and I have no idea where I'll store them. I'm thinking I'll re-arrange her closet and add some shelves, but I was wondering if anyone had any other novel solutions. We could potentially put up some shelves in her room, but I'd rather be able to hide it away rather than have it out in the open.

In the meantime, I've been trying to encourage my family to buy her books and coloring books and crafty things, but they all seem to think she "needs" these big plastic things. Ugh.

We're thinking of buying a fryer for Thanksgiving this year. I've been browsing online to learn about it, but I'd love to hear any real life product reviews, specifically the propane fryer versus the oil free infrared cookers. I love the idea of having the extra space in my oven for all of the side dishes and thought frying to be the way to go. I just don't know anything beyond that. Thanks!

The "abortion debate" has been part of politics in the United States for the better part of 30 years now, a constant background noise of which people are good, righteous people, and which ones are terrible, evil baby-hating people. It's not really a debate. The opposition doesn't really care about women or babies or fetuses, they're not going to stop until the law is "no abortion ever for anyone under an circumstance." The next best thing for them is for abortion to be legal but all but impossible to obtain. There are waiting periods, restrictions on time and age, they want the consent of the genetic progenitor, other medical procedures must be performed first that the patient has to pay for themselves out of pocket, they list goes on and on. And too, this "debate" is heavily linked to the refusal to proscribe or dispense birth control, the refusal to perform basic medical exams, the very idea that a doctor can go into the field of gynecology and then "opt out" of performing a pap smear.

For those in the United States, the Stupack Amendment has been making the rounds. If you're not in the know, a simple breakdown (not in my own words):

"...an amendment that would impose tight restrictions on abortions that could be offered through a new government-run insurance plan and through private insurance that is bought using government subsidies."

"This amendment...prohibits [women] from access to an abortion even if they pay for it with their own money"

"The Stupak-Pitts amendment forbids any plan offering abortion coverage in the new system from accepting even one subsidized customer. Since more than 80 percent of the participants in the exchange will be subsidized, it seems certain that all health plans will seek and accept these individuals. In other words, the Stupak-Pitts amendment forces plans in the exchange to make a difficult choice: either offer their product to 80 percent of consumers in the marketplace or offer abortion services in their benefits package. It seems clear which choice they will make."

"There will be no abortion, not just with public funds, but with private funds under the public option, and that's not acceptable," said Rep. Diana DeGette

"Studies have shown that somewhere between 45 and 80 percent of the women who have health care coverage through their companies currently get abortion coverage. And so, the argument then is that if the government plan were to disallow that, you would essentially be stripping that coverage from people who already - who currently get that."

the amendment in question

Further reading (quotes can be located in below articles):

Democrats to resolve abortion impasse on the House floor
Who sold us out
Abortion Was at Heart of Wrangling
The Hyde Amendment
House votes Yes
Surgery for Seniors vs Abortions
Abortion and Healthcare Reform
NPR spot

The Hyde Amendment is mentioned above, and it's the foundation block of this bit of dogma. It "is a limitation amendment barring the use of federal funds to pay for abortions through funds allocated by the annual appropriations bill for Health and Human Services." Which means:

"Women who are poor enough to qualify for Medicaid have been denied access to abortion except in non-federally-funded clinics, which have become so few-and-far-between that these women often have to travel to another state to get an abortion. The same goes for disabled women on Medicare, and for Native women who rely on the Indian Health Service. When the SCHIP was established, adolescent females joined the ranks of poor, disabled and Native women. - inaru [Daily Kos]"

The Hyde Amendment has been for years the root of the problem and should have been repealed long ago. Now we're got a fresh problem caused by this previous problem. i would urge you, especially if you see one of you congresspeople on the above list, to start calling up/emailing/harassing politicians. If your congressperson is not on the lest and voted against the amendment, call them or email them and thank them for their vote. It's not enough that people know when we don't support them, they must also know when we do.
Now, if you're in Minnesota, we have another course of action. For Michele Bachmann, it's more advisable we find out what sort of voodoo curse caused this woman to be inflicted upon us and sacrifice a pigeon under the pale light of the fullest moon, chanting in the darkness. Only then will this blight be lifted from our state.

Or, more appropriately, signs my period controls too much of my life. (Disclaimer: Though this is written in the second person, here "you" only necessarily means "me," though anyone else who also identifies with this, well, does.)

-- You believe you may have a physical and/or psychological addiction to heating pads in their various forms.

-- You have trained your dog to function as an insta-ready self-heating pad and to lie down and curl up at the appropriate location next to your body.

-- On the street, you're not at all embarrassed when the driver next to you catches you with your hand down your pants. That was just you, inserting a new stick-on heating pad.

-- On one hand, you laugh at the idea of ibuprofen and acetaminophen managing pain. On the other, you wonder why it's not available in IV form.

-- In order to be able to quantify your bleeding more precisely, you develop a new bleeding scale -- only with yours, heavy bleeding doesn't start until you're going through more than one menstrual product per hour.

-- You wonder whether it makes more sense to measure your blood/fluid loss in pints or litres.

-- Every time you take a shower, you have the overwhelming desire to watch the movie Psycho (be forewarned: links to video containing partial nudity, violence, and graphic depictions of blood).

-- You plan your errands around accessible public toilets; if the place doesn't have one, you don't go.

-- Your largest goal for the day involves not leaking blood onto anything overly expensive or irreparable. All washable surfaces will just have to deal.

-- You seriously consider moving somewhere that sells Tylenol 3 over-the-counter.

-- You have conversations with the characters on your cloth pads. The peace frogs are okay, and the bloody pirate skull is seven kinds of awesome -- but those cheeky little smiling monkeys piss you right the hell off.

-- You have enough focus/energy/pain tolerance to do exactly one physical activity (anything that requires walking or even standing upright for several minutes counts as a physical activity) before you retreat back into the Land of the Fetal Position for the rest of the day.

-- You spend so much time wearing your back wrap heating pad that you forget you are attached to the wall... until, of course, you reach the end of your little electric leash.

-- You're on intimate terms with your bathroom floor.

-- During your period, you regularly misuse Benadryl just so you do not have to be conscious for this anymore.

...and I'm sure other people do, too, JoAnn's is having a ..... sale (what holiday are we on, now? veteran's day, maybe?) and all Simplicity patterns are $1 for this week only. I got 9 patterns for $9 [plus tax, duh] and so I stocked up on several patterns that I wanted for myself for a while, as well as one for a friend's costume I'm working on and my best friend who does belly dancing (the belly dancing costumes aren't amazing, but it's a good jumping off point).
I'm thinking about going back and grabbing non-costume patterns for myself for the imaginary projects I'll never get to, but I like having the patterns in my supply that is completely disorganized and probably has several duplicates of the same thing...
anyways, go there! get cheap patterns! :D

several months ago (around 6) i had casual sex with this guy. i was safe and used a condom (like i ALWAYS do). for some reason though i can't stop freaking out about stds. i convinced myself several times that i had contracted herpes (though never getting any symptoms). i think i'm mostly posting here to put my mind at ease. over the summer i got 2 canker sores in my mouth a couple weeks apart (just one sore each time, which according to everyone i've asked canker sores are very common during your early 20s).
mostly i'm concered with these bumps i have on the crease between my labia majora and minora. i've had them for a long time, they are flesh colored and slightly raised. they are in a straight line on both sides. they never really bother me until i find another reason to throw myself into a panic and i start "examining them"...which just ends up irritating my entire area vulva (which then convinces me again that i have herpes. i know i should definitely just get tested and get it over with...but i'm kind of nervous.
any words of advice?

Thanks in part to over-posting, the rules have been updated; we no longer want to see any survey/research/school project posts. It's always the same questions over and over and over, and reading back even just a little bit will get you all the answers you need. This community is not a homework/research resource.

And I would also like to add that if there's a post that is against the rules or that you feel isn't kosher, the correct response is to email the mods, NOT to post "Mods, you need to ban this person" in the comments. That's our call to make, and demanding we take action or telling us what needs to be done is rude and irritates us, and I would also like to point out that Playing Mod is specifically against the rules and is a bannable offense, one which we maybe give more of a benefit of the doubt than we should.

That's all.

I just took a dump and the shit smelled like soap... Not a scented paradise flower -kind of a soap, but... Soap. Definitely.

Last night I saw a picture which was supposedly humorous. It was a baby wearing a onesie that said, I shit you not, "I tore my mommy a new one!"

o_0

I can't believe that anyone would find that cute or funny, especially someone who had given birth and been through that kind of pain and mutilation. *shudder* Also, come on... like everyone who sees your kid wants to imagine your scarred, gaping vagina. TMI!

I took my mother to the movies last night to see the latest adaptation of A Christmas Carol.  This is her all-time favorite Christmas story and she wanted to see if this version measured up, so that she might add it to her collection when it's available on DVD.  I was so reminded of the reason why I have branded my uterus a child-free zone.

I knew there would be trouble when I saw a Moo and Duh bring in their little girl who looked, maybe, 3 or 4 years old.  I had my doubts that she would be able to sit hrough the movie without getting antsy.  Plus, there is the movie's content to consider.  Anyone who's ever seen one of these adaptations knows that there are some versions that just aren't little kid friendly. 

This one, after Bob Zemeckis got ahold of it, was one of those not-so-friendly versions.  For one thing, he kept most of the traditional aspects of the story (and I swear there was a Back to The Future reference in there).  And you are talking about the guy that directed The Frighteners (of which there was also a subtle reference). 

So, I was not surprised that the little sprog totally freaked out when she saw the latest incarnation of the Ghost of Christmas Future shoot up out of a set of stone steps withe the one of the most hideous faces I have ever seen (totally kicked ass, btw).  I was annoyed, however, when she proceeded to scream, "DADDDYYYY!!!!"  I turned around and gave them all a loud, "SHHHHHH!"  I don't care if it didn't win me popularity points, but it shut the brat up.

No, I didn't report them for not removing their sprog.  I chalked it up to karma.  And I bet Moo and Duh received plenty of it last night when they were up with their toddler who no doubt had nightmares.  I know I shouldn't laugh, but karma can be such a bitch.

There are plenty of innocent versions of this story to wean a child out on.  Mickey's Christmas Carol might have been a better choice.  Remember people, just because Disney slapped their name on it, that doesn't mean the movie is little kid friendly.  (Even the older boy sitting next to me was freaked out by some of the shit in thsi movie.  Yeah, I laughed at him, because he had been talking to his little friend until Marley "appeared" in Scrooge's door.  It freaked him out so bad that he almost fell out of his seat.  At least, he was quiet for the rest of the film.)

So, for those who don't watch the L Word - there was one episode where the girls were discussing female ejaculation and one of the girls mentions that she "...knew someone who went down on a girl, and while she was down there...she sneezed..."

Well, I was on the receiving end of that. My gf was going to town, and I was getting close to liftoff - and bam! Nose butter all over my girly bits. Seriously - we moved into the shower to finish off and to clean off - but it was uber embarrassing for the girlfriend.

Bonus: I am getting a pimple on my ear - and it's impossible to pop! I am so going to take a needle and stabbity it to death.

I have what I'm pretty sure is an armadillo hole in my yard. The hole is right up next to the foundation of my house. Does anyone have personal experience dealing with these? How do I keep the armadillo from coming back?

My boyfriend's mom and stepdad are up visiting this weekend, and we went to the Rangos Omnimax Theater at the Carnegie Science Center.  They show IMAX movies on a huge screen, so it's like you're really there, etc.  It's also $8 a ticket.

Long story short, we went to see Under the Sea and this kid in the back kept shouting out every. single. thing. that came up on the screen.  For forty minutes, all we heard was this tinny voice going, "FISHIEEE!  LOOK MOMMY LOOK AT THE BIG FISHIEEEE!  OHH!  SEA LIONS!  SHAAAAAARKS!  LOOK MOM A JELLY FISH!  TURRRTLES!  LOOK DAD IT'S NEMO!"  Every time.  And yeah, okay, it would be okay a few times, cause he WAS little and it was cool.  I myself kind of wanted to go "Oooh, shaaaarks!" when the sharks came up, but you know, I'm 22 and I don't do that. 

The part that bugged me was that the parents did absolutely nothing to quiet this child down.  Not even a half-assed "shhh honey" or "don't yell" or anything.  They simply replied to him "Oh yes honey, sharks!  Doesn't that fishie look like Nemo?"  This is not your living room, you fucking bitch.  Finally the guy in front of them turned around and said (rather politely), "Hey, can you at least try to keep him quiet?  We can't hear the narration."  And the fucking moo cow just snaps, "He's EXCITED, okay?  He's just a KID."

Well fuck you.  I know he got into the movie for free, but the rest of us didn't and your "excited" little shit is ruining it for everything.  UGH.  SO RUDE.

i haven't seen this posted here so i thought i'd share it with you guys. it made me sick to my stomach so, naturally, i immediately came here.

http://www.sphere.com/2009/11/06/woman-reveals-health-horror-my-vagina-fell-out/?icid=main|main|dl1|link7|http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sphere.com%2F2009%2F11%2F06%2Fwoman-reveals-health-horror-my-vagina-fell-out%2F

(it's an article, so its SFW with the exception of the large headline)

 Hi all:

So I haven't seriously picked up sewing in years, but now is the time, I say! I have a pattern I want to work on, but the first step is stumping me (I know... not a good sign, right?) But I won't let it deter me: I know you guys can help me through!

The pattern tells me to: "Overlock all edges. Do not trim off any of the straight edges. On the handles' curved edges, trim off the 5/8" seam allowance" 

First of all, I don't have a serger/overlock machine. My machine does have an "overedge" stitch, however. My research on the internet tells me that I can use this, I think... 

So for my purposes, it seems that overlocking here just keeps the edges from fraying up... so it seems that you would do the stitch over the edge of the fabric- like... so the needle actually comes down OFF of the fabric on one edge of the stitch, right? If so, then how would I trimming the edges off of it? Should I actually be doing the stitch 5/8 of an inch IN from the edge? If so, then should the 5/8" line be at the inside of the stitch or outside? The photo that goes with the directions LOOKS like it shows stitching to the edge of the fabric, but it's hard to tell...

If it helps, the directions to the item that I am making are here: http://www.burdastyle.com/patterns/charlie-reusable-grocery-bag


Sorry if this sounds confusing or elementary. Any help with deciphering this would be grand. I've done machine sewing before, but never really used any stitch other then the straight running stitch. This is a whole new world to me. :-) 

Thanks so very much in advance!!

last week out took our my nuvaring and i put it back in for this week. i just realized i took it out one week too early. i was suppose to have taken it out this week, not last.. so i pushed my period up a week. next month will my period come the week i take the ring out after the next three weeks when i take out the ring or do i have to take it out when im orginally suppose to?

My Step Son wants a black cloak for Xmas with a hood. I can make a cloak/hood, but have only made them of costume-like fabric. If he wants to wear it with ease and comfort, what fabric would you suggest I make it out of?

PS: He lives half the year in Japan in a very moderate climate (See: not very cold) so I don't think wool would be ideal, but if that's the only answer, I will go with that

I used to do a bit of sewing as a hobby... I wasn't very good, but I made simple things like skirts and Halloween costumes for myself from time to time.

Nowadays, I live in Japan. I've been here for two years, and haven't done any sewing in that time, and I miss it! My main problems are: lack of a sewing machine, lack of space for a machine should I buy one (my apartment is tiny, and I don't have a table high enough for sewing at,) and the language barrier. I have no idea how to order cloth here, and would find it very hard to read any patterns I bought here.

There also seems to be a sad lack of notions shops here. Back home, I could breeze into a fabric shop and find anything I needed... here, I have no clue where to find such a shop, nor how to measure cloth and stuff. However, there ARE a lot of secondhand shops, some which sell used kimono, so I was thinking about maybe using the kimono cloth to make something...

Anyway, I'd really like to get back into doing something creative, as I could really use a hobby! Have any of you been in a similar situation, not having access to things needed for sewing? How did you compensate? Any ideas for how I can get back into sewing?

(PS... I prefer making things I can wear or use, rather than just decorative pillows and stuff.)

At my boyfriends hockey game today I ate a hot dog that didn't agree with me at all. I was puking moments after eating it. It was a really gross blue/green color(think the color of a pool if you don't clean it). I had to leave the game and go home and I kept puking up this wierd colored puke for a good two hours.
The worst part is that I had to make up a stupid excuse to not see him because I fear what he would think of me. xD

....here's another one! :)

I'm really nervous about this, so I knew this was the place to come before I beat myself up with stress in the home-pregnancy test aisle at the pharmacy..

OK, at the beginning of my birth control pack, Monday (tomorrow is my last day of sugar pills- for reference) I was unable to renew my pack so I couldn't take my first pill until Tuesday at like 5ish? (I usually take them at 9pm), also later that same week (it could even have been Saturday) I forgot to take my pill until several hours later.

That Saturday (the first week of my pack) my boyfriend and I had sex with a condom, he then took off the condom- but didn't really make an effort to wipe off his penis after removal. About 15 minutes later we had sex again, for the first little bit we didn't use a condom, and then when we were really going to "get into it" he put a condom on.

Do you think any of this is grounds for pregnancy?

For the rest of the month I've had more than usual discharge, my period did come this Thursday (a day or two earlier) but it was pretty light (only a bit lighter than usual) and finished last night/this morning. Usually my period runs into the Monday (just the gross after-stuff).

Am I stressing myself over nothing? I took a basic quiz on about.com and they said because of the discharge& stuff I should take a test.. The idea of getting a test really scares me- plus I really dont have a spare $20 to throw down on a test if you all will say its not necessary.

I'm so mad at myself because before and after that week I have been RIDICULOUSLY GOOD at taking my pill within half an hour.. Which I usually can never do.

Thanks in advance!

...I haven't seen this before!!

Just a short while ago today, the US House of Reps. took a critical and major step toward assuring health insurance and related forms of support to nearly every legal resident of America.

This awesome success merely comes at the expense of including abortion coverage in all that federal support.

The political concept of the "big tent" seems tolerant and admirable at first glance. However, it is indirectly responsible for the loathsome stick-up job that Public Enemy #1 Bart Stupak has just foisted on the American people. Those of you familiar with the more conservative US Democrats can see the grimly amusing side of this: denying federal payments for abortion was so ridiculously essential that the rest of the bill was tolerable enough to a few dozen of them.

just a small tidbit of TMI for you fellow sickos :)

I have been letting juicy, wet farts all day. I don't exactly know why, I haven't eaten anything terribly adverse this weekend, but they're just rank as of late.

so, here I am, lounging in bed, just hanging out in a t-shirt and my boxer briefs, internetting on my laptop, and I'm letting out huge farts...which are somehow immediately picked up and spread around my bedroom by my ceiling fan. holy shit, nothing like fresh fart slapping you in the face! blargh!

just thought I'd share...it certainly makes me laugh if nothing else.

and i made a ton of stuff!


( more under here!!! )

i am also really excited! i found a 6' folding table on craigslist for $10! so tomorrow i am converting my garage into a craft space! :D so so sooooo excited to finally have a space that is my own! no more messy living room and dining room table!

Hey VagPagers!

My fiancee has recently become very interested in herbal pharmaceuticals (using herbal concoctions to treat everyday ailments and generally get buzzed legally) and he's been pestering me to try some. What we're mainly interested in (at least, me) is an Damania, which is used to regulate the menstrual cycle and has a reputation as an aphrodisiac. I'm on HBC (Lutera/generic Alesse, if that matters) to regulate my very irregular periods and to keep me baby-free, but it's also had the somewhat annoying side-effect of decreasing my libido noticeably. It's like I want to have sex, I just can't make my body catch up with my dirty mind. ;) Anyway, if this Damania tea can make a difference there, that'd be super coolio. But I would hate to screw up my HBC's effectiveness in the process!

Has anyone here used herbal supplements or know if they can interact with HBC? I know not to use St.John's Wort, for instance, but I'm not having much luck finding anything on other herbs.

TIA!

( So here's the long story )

So anyway, I took a week off of school to get this resolved, and I am not any better than when I left. No one knows what is wrong and though everyone agrees that I don't have a bacterial infection in my throat, I'm still on antibiotics. When I finish this course on Wednesday, I'll have taken antibiotics for 27 out of the last 31 days.

Is it safe to continue treating my resulting YIs with tea tree oil? What about Monistat? Is it even wise to try to treat when I'm still on antibiotics?

I've been havin fun recently turning quarters into rings :)



And no, no it's not illegal to do this :)