Periods are one of those things that we love to hate, but worry terribly over if even a little bit late. They are a source of worry and annoyance, but relief, too. They are such a pain - literally, announcing their arrival that seems way too quick to be true, with another bout of cramps and stabbing lower back pains. Are you sure it's been a month, already?

At this stage in my life, the period is my regular familiar friend. I remember when my late bloomer best friend in intermediate school used to envy me for having started my period way before hers. I wonder if she wish she'd had hers sooner, looking back, now.

Awkward trips to the bathroom, hoping the colleagues don't see your telltale bulging pocket filled with the day's supply of tampon changes, hoping that the blood hasn't seeped through to your pants or skirt or dress. Hoping that the special bin in our cubicle opens easily and does not choke you with a waft of stinking pile of other women's bloody secretion.

Be no more, for I have changed to a new path. Tired of running out of tampons when they are the most needed, and the frequency of tampon purchases and waste, prompted me to get my own Mooncup. Influenced hugely by my girlfriends who wouldn't stop raving about them since they'd made the change themselves.

By no means the mainstream option, I had to seek out the shops that sold them. The bigger upscale organic shops are your bet. Placing the silicon cup gets a bit of getting used to, since the opening of the Mooncup is wider than your average tampon. However, once in, it's just as comfortable. After the blood is emptied out of your Mooncup, you should rinse it before reinserting it in. This could be tricky if the basin is not within in an arm's reach from where you are sitting on the toilet. To get over this, a girlfriend W advised me to do this while in the showers in the morning or after work. Problem solved.

I was skeptical at first about its comfort, its ease of use, and especially, its appalling price. It would take me years to get my money's worth on this one, but that's the plan, isn't it. Reusable panty liners is a tad bit too much for me, but a silicon cup seemed easier to manage. Just pour out, rinse, reinsert. Less waste, less handling time during the day. I'm definitely pleased about those last two points.