SchadeBLOG

Well, we made it through yet another successful HNT. As usual, there was the standard smattering of humorous, artistic, naughty, whimsical, and poignant entries. Not to mention some that completely take you by surprise (warning, nudity). Thanks to everyone who posted comments on mine (below). I still feel like I could have done better, and I now know a few more tricks to try to help it out. One person told me they thought the perspective was wrong. I disagree. I think that once I get skin tones and color matched up better, it will actually look right. We’ll see.

Let’s back up just a moment, and take a look at that word “poignant”. It’s a funny word, actually. It’s one of the only - if not the only word that I know of that means “profoundly moving,” “skillful,” “keenly distressing,” and “physically painful” all at the same time. It’s like the inventor of the word couldn’t make up his mind as to what it should mean, so he made it mean all of them at once.

Guy #1: Boy, that movie was poignant.

Guy #2: Yes, it was profoundly moving, wasn’t it?

Guy #1: Not only that, but it was extremely painful, too.

Guy #2: How come we, as guys, are using words like poignant?

Anyway, yesterday’s HNT was very good. I did happen to notice, though, that many of the female entrants this week were more risque than usual. I think it has something to do with the Boobie-Thon going on this week. That, or we’re just getting a lot more friendly with each other.

On another thought, today I gave blood for the very second time in my life. This experience was profoundly better than the last time I gave blood. The most important thing, of course, is that I didn’t get a bruise. Well, I suppose you could throw in the whole “saving a life” thing under the “important” umbrella, too. Of course, I did it for the free soda and Nutter Butter cookies.

One thing that I hate about giving blood for any reason is the actual process. First, if you use the Red Cross Bus, they pair you up with a Question Askerer (editor’s note: mispelling is on purpose) and put the two of you in this tiny room. We’re talking unbelievably tiny. You feel like you should be marrying the Question Askerer person, it’s so tiny. Which in my case was not good because the Question Askerer was a guy. Then the Question Askerer starts asking you about ten bajillion questions. So many questions that by the time it’s your turn to give blood, your blood has goagulated and turned to dust which makes it impossible for them to collect it, which is why you’re there in the first place.

To top it off, when the Red Cross Question Askerer guy got done asking me the final ten bajillionth question, he had to go back and review the answers. He said if he didn’t, he’d be put on an “Aggravation Installment” program. I asked him if that meant that he’d be aggravated slowly, in only 6 easy monthly payments. Fortunately, he was in a good mood and took the comment lightly. I told him I was serious.

So I finally get out of the Booth of Love and wait for my turn on the Bed of Eternal Discomfort. I call it this because of the fact that you have to lie on a bed and make a fist and hold it until they get the blood flowing through the tube and into the blood bag, and doing this is incredibly uncomfortable for me and lasts forever. My problem is, whenever I actually have to think about making a fist, my hand becomes hyper sensitive and it becomes almost painful. This has been a problem that’s plagued me all my life. I dont’ know why. If it’s weird, I don’t care.

Once the blood started flowing, though, everything went smoothly. And of course, I think we can all agree that Bag of Blood would still make a great name for a rock band. Oh, and there’s nothing like the feeling of doing a good thing like this, where you know what you’re doing will help someone else. It’s all very poignant.