Cuppacafe

Yep, I donated yet another pint of blood to the American Red Cross today, and while I was there I not only ran into some friends of mine who were also donating blood, but I happened across on of the nurses that seem to always be there when I donate. the nurse is young, cute and, well puts up with my bad jokes while I'm donating, (and doesn't Gibbs-smack me for endlessly flirting with her), so yeah, it is always fun for me.

As usual, the Red Cross was giving something out to help induce folks to come in, and well, it was quite unique in that it was a bottle of Red Cross Red nail polish. Needless to say, even though I stopped using nail polish when I was no longer eligible for the Draft, I too received a bottle, which I subsequently passed along to the women who allow me to live with them.

Pretty cool, eh?

The Perfessor

A while back I told you that I acquired a (free) pound of coffee from Dunkin' Donuts by donating a pint of my blood to the American Red Cross, well, I picked up the coffee (finally) and added it to my stash of ready-to-be-ground coffee beans.

This pint puts me on the plus-side of 15 gallons that I've donated. I try to go every two months, and by now, know most of the nurses at the donation center where I usually donate.

On an entirely different matter, I know that tomorrow is Superbowl Sunday, but just the other day I (finally) received a special Union Mets pin of the new Shea...er Citi Field. No, I'm not in a union, but my brother, Ron, is, (abnd is a HUGE Mets fan), and he pointed me in the direction of the pin (which was free for the asking).

Well, I requested the pin back during baseball season, and just received it.

Cool, eh?

Well, I'm off to run some errands with the ball and...er...wifie, so I'll be back later.

The Perfessor

I almost forgot to add this photo to my earlier post about the Red Cross. These are the pins I’ve acquired from donating blood to the Red Cross (one pin for every gallon, plus several for donating on or near a specific holiday), plus my favorite pin, a special Pin I acquired from donating at a special Valentine’s Day comic book show sponsored by Harris Comics in support of their character, vampire-themed character, Vampirella.

I keep all these pins on a vest that I occasionally wear (and, no, not just when I’m donating).

The Perfessor

P.S. Don’t forget the lb. of coffee!

I know that Walt has a different opinion about this, but I like the Red Cross. I’ve been donating blood since I was like 18 or 20. Right now I’m on the plus side of 15 gallons (fairly impressive when you realize that not only can you only donate a pint at a time, and only ever 56 days (or six times a year at most).

These days I try to donate five or six times a year, and the location of a local donation center near my house makes it easier than having to find an open donation call. This month (as in years past) if you donate blood you get a coupon for a free pound of coffee from Dunkin’ Donuts.

So, yea, if I wasn’t already donating this would get me into the chair.

The Perfessor

I realize that this event happened back in June, but I just recently became aware of it. Apparently, 90-year-old great-grandmother, donated her 25th gallon of blood to The Red Cross. Now while you may realize how very cool this is right away, you have to understand that you only have about four quarts of blood in your body, and can only donate a pint at a time, and can only give every eight weeks.

This means that it takes just over a year (like a year and three months, give or take) to get a gallon. So, assuming that Margaret managed to give six-to-eight times a year, it would have taken her well over 30 years to give that much blood.

I bring this all up because I’ve been giving blood since I was about 18 and just last week I reached 15 gallons which means (at my current rate of giving) I should reach 25 gallons in about 13 years, so by the time I reach Margaret’s age, I should be hitting 68 gallons or so.

The Perfessor