spoiled chinese girl

Yesterday was my second attempt at doing a blood donation. The first was about 5 years ago where I wasn’t actually able to make it past the screening process. This time… I didn’t bleed right. (Here’s a good factual defination of blood donation.)

First things first, I went to the Canadian Blood Services website (http://bloodservices.ca/) to find a location that was close to my home, and then figured it was better to make an appointment even though they said walk-ins were welcome. I planned on doing this next week, but when my plans for the weekend changed, yesterday became a great day to go in. I called in the morning to make an appointment for that afternoon.

When I called, I was told to drink plenty of fluids up until my appointment (it was mid-morning when I called, for an appointment held early afternoon) and I knew myself that I should also eat well about 1-2 hours beforehand. This is advice I’d always received when getting a piercing or tattoo, so I felt that it would also apply. I showed up, and went through the screening process.

Since I didn’t have a donor card, I was considered a first time donor, and got a sticker that said as much, which made all the staff seem real excited. Of course… it’s my second first-time donor sticker I’ve received. But I get to the big poofy chair/lounge thing. I get up into it, and express my interest of using my right arm for the donation. The reasoning for this is that I’m left handed, and would rather have any soreness or pain be in my right arm that I use les often. But after checking the veins in my right arm, then checking for veins in my left, the practioner lady decided that my left arm had more prominent veins and would be easier. I agreed.

The needle was inserted and the blood started to get drawn. It was a pretty surreal experience. I felt faint, but not like I was going to faint. I felt light-headed, but very aware of my surroundings. I felt like I was breaking into a cold sweat, but was able to smile and tell them I was fine. This feeling went away after a while, and I thought that meant my body was used to the sensation of having my blood being removed from my body. Apparently it meant that my blood refused to be sucked out of me.

The practioners (I don’t want to say nurses, they had offical titles, that I can’t remember) both shifted the needle once, and the bloodflow started, but stopped, then they fished it a bit deeper, and it started again and looked like it was good to go. So they were going to tape this needle on me at this impossible angle, using lots of tape and wedges and I think they were going to just hold it in place… but it stopped again. It was the end of the day, I was the last person in there, a gentleman who started AFTER me had already finished donating his unit of blood. It was my first time, and although I never said, I’m sure I made expressions that said I was somewhat scared & in pain.

The final verdict was that my vein dove really deep into my arm, they didn’t want to keep digging, because it would bruise really badly, and would cause more pain in the end (the recovery stage I’ll bet.) The needle was pulled out, my 1/3 unit of blood along with several vials for testing were all initialed and brought to the organization station. My arm was bandaged, and then tensor-bandaged, right at the joint which sucked because I couldn’t bend my arm without it hurting (I took that off & left the bandage on after a while) I was told to sit, have a cup of juice and some cookies while talking to a nice elderly lady volunteer about TV shows. I also got a pin for it being my first donation, or rather… partial donation. She insisted I keep it even though I didn’t feel like I donated.

Anyways, so thats about all there was to that. I just today sent an e-mail to the Canadian Blood Services feedback line, asking what will happen to my partial donation. When/If I find out, I’ll let you all know!

I still think this is an awesome cause, and it takes about an hour, and it’s great for the community.

The funniest part was when we got home, and turned on the Simpsons, it just so happen to be the episode where Bart donates blood to Mr. Burns.

Update! Date's changed to Sunday the 24th!!

My friend Richard's band BROOMFILLER (http://broomfiller.com) is looking for extras for their next music video. Their first video was put into rotation on Much Music & this video should be released just before of their 2 month US tour that's starting in Mid-October. I'm going to be in it as well so come if you want to hang out with me for 10 hours!

The roles required:

• Looking for 12 “large/rough & tumble mean looking” rugby/soccer players to create two teams (2 goalies, 10 players.) Must be 5'8″ or taller.
• Looking for extras to be spectators of the soccer game, and crowd/fans of the band to cheer on both the players, and the band members. Everyone is welcome to apply for this.

So the Details:

• Food/Meals will be provided, however, it is a non-paying gig. (I heard rumours you may receive a copy of their newest CD as well, but don't quote me on that!)
• Date is Sunday September 24, 2006, aprox. 10 hours.
• Location is somewhere in Toronto, ON (exact location TBA)

If you're interested, e-mail: musicvideo@broomfiller.com with the following:

• The role you would like to play in the video
• A recent clear photo of yourself
• Description of your athletic ability & acting experience
• Any food alerigies you may have (to make ordering food safe for you!)

There. That's my public service announcement for today.

So two weeks ago I was doing Bikrams Yoga during an introductory week at the first studio opened in Toronto. This guy is *the* guy in Canada because he was the first, and is pretty close friends with the founder of this style of yoga.

Anyways, after not doing anything physical I decided to go to the yoga class held at my gym, that I faithfully went to twice a week for 6 months, then slowly disapeared, and completely disapeared for a while. The regular yoga instructor was there, which was nice, since the person that gets chosen to replace her is an absoloute knob.

But it wasn’t the same, I felt cold, and not warmed up. I showed up late, usually trying to get at least 15 minutes on an elliptical but even then, I felt constrained. I was wearing too much, I was sweating too little. I couldn’t concentrate with the different auditory sounds floating around, not only the house music pumping through the gym, but also the calming yoga music was distracting, doors slamming shut, weights being dropped, everything took away from my concentration.

I need to find a Bikrams Yoga studio. And soon. Even if it means I have to do laundry 3 times as much.

Seriously, I went to the normal… I don't know what kind of yoga is done at my gym. And it was weird, and strange. It was too cold, I was wearing way too much and for the love of pete the stupid music pumping through the rest of the gym was distracting as all hell. I miss the warmth of the room, the warmth inside me, and sweating my brains out in pure silence save for the soft-spoken voice of an instructor who can calmly and effectively correct postures with a few words. There we have it. I need to find a Bikrams studio close to my house. (I found one, but “close” is quite relative!)

“Once touted as a landmark innovation in transportation, the Segway Personal Transporter has suffered another setback: The self-balancing scooter’s parent company has recalled all of its currently available models because of a potentially dangerous software glitch.”  (CNET News.com)
So I’ve written about the Segways before (Segways on the streets of Toronto?)  and  I’ve already had my opinions on them for a very long time (I believe I wrote that at least a year ago at this point) and this just further fuels my fire.

Humans were ment to be mobile.  I have no problem with inventions that aide in the further movement of humans (across town, across the country, across the world, across the stars) but movement between points where one’s legs and feet can easily take them?  That’s just downright silly.  There are devices which aid otherwise immobile people to transport themselves freely, but this doesn’t do any of that.

A friend of mine from Europe was visiting America at some point to see his fiancee.  And he commented that there were a lot of advertisements for those small seated motorized scooters you see around.  But while they’re for the majority being purchased by the elderly who would have a difficult time standing and walking for long peroids, he noticed that these advertisements were not directed at the less-mobile elderly, but more towards heavy-set people of America.  Where, instead of encouraging people who may find it slightly uncomfortable, but would be wholely benificial to be walking, this company is encourging these people to be less active, and further circulate the bad habits of not being physically active.  Only in America (or so he says)

I quite agree.  And I think the Segway is no more than a fancier version of the scooter, that’s smaller and more compact, but does the same thing.  The article states that Ms. Paris Hilton attempted to use a Segway to make mopping floors easier.  Yes… because steering a Segway with one hand while holding a mop with the other would be EASIER than just walking and mopping. I digress.

I think the Segway is a cool invention, but not a necessary invention. And I don’t blame anyone for constructive-negative comments towards the device.  And I’m glad they’re recalling them.

Hrm, I guess that’s about it for now.