Donated blood

Blood donation is even more high-tech than the last time I went.

There's a small donation bag hooked to the large donation bag now. It used to be that after the regular bag was full, the tech would fill four sample vials used to test for the signs of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.

Also, the interview process involved more Microsoft Access databases than I remember.

I get 100 donation points, I think. There's a reward system now where the more you donate, the more points you earn, giving you access to additional donor levels, blah blah insert Dungeons and Dragons joke about levels here. Anyway...

They gave me a calendar where some days are worth double or triple points, such as the Memorial Day weekend and the week of Thanksgiving when need is highest.

I also got an attractive long-sleeved grey t-shirt that is affiliated with KSBJ, a Houston radio station that loves Jesus a lot. Lee said the t-shirt is the one she wanted me to get last year, but I was sick/tired/lazy through the season and missed my chance.

So, woo, free shirt for Lee, free calendar, free juice and cookies, free cholesterol check (results available in a day or two once they determine the butter content of my samples), lives saved. My goal for the year was 4 donations, and this was a good start.

I'm eligible again on 3/14/06.