They had blood drive all set up at the church
parish hall, after services today. How could I say no, given the sacrifice I had
recently celebrated in?
Couldn't, as it
turned out. Which I suppose was the
point.
Clever people, these Red Cross
types.
It was easy to dodge out for the last 20-odd
years or so: Aviators are proscribed from blood donation within a week of
flying. Deleterious effects of diminished blood capacity on metabolic rates vs
altitude and air density. Absorptivity, I believe. Resting g-tolerance. And so
on. Harrumph.
Since every pilot always
hopes to fly sometime in the next week or so, you never end up giving any blood
away. Even if you wanted to.
So today
was my first time since I was a mid. Things have changed a bit, since then. For
one thing, you are asked some
Very
Personal Questions. And even after that, you have the option to peel and stick
one of two bar code pasties on the form accompanying your blood. One apparently
translates in machine code as "Use my blood," while the other translates as "Do
NOT use my blood." And all of this is before she sticks the needle in, which
rather begs the question a bit, doesn't it? It's not that the needle is all that
painful, but it's not nothing either, and it seems to me more than passing
strange that someone would go through all the trouble of giving blood only to
tell the Red Cross not to use any of
it.
But, did it, managed to feel smug
and self-satisfied for quite a bit. Parlayed it into an afternoon nap, as well.
No heavy lifting?
Ah, well.
Posted @
05:00 PM
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Posted in
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Sendit
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Credo
"Sign on, young man, and sail with me. The stature of our homeland is no more than the measure of ourselves. Our job is to keep her free. Our will is to keep the torch of freedom burning for all. To this solemn purpose we call on the young, the brave, the strong, and the free. Heed my call, Come to the sea. Come Sail with me." - John Paul Jones
"Pardon him, Theodotus; he is a barbarian, and thinks that the customs of his tribe and island are the laws of nature" --George Bernard Shaw, "Ceasar and Cleopatra"
"And those who were seen dancing were thought to be insane by those who could not hear the music."--Friederich Nietzsche
