(no subject)

My bipolar laptop (Winders/Linux) is up and running. I have it in the new office (which is freshly stocked with some office supplies) and found someone's linksys for me to grab updates and installs. Thanks to the stupid rep I've been dealing with at BellSouth/AT&T/SWB/Satan Inc, the DSL we were installing today from HiWAAY was cancelled by the phone company. The AT&T guy refused to believe I wasn't going to use them for DSL. The order he sent me yesterday included DSL. I told him to cancel and he said he did. Maliciously or stupidly, he canceled HiWAAY's order to BellSouth for DSL service through them. This morning HiWAAY calls me to ask why I canceled. They had to process another order through BellSouth today, so I won't have my DSL until some time on Monday.

Thank God we don't allow monopolies in the US!

Cory Back on Tap?

Once upon a time, I was a frequent blood donor to the American Red Cross. I would give a pint, go eat some crackers, and then walk to the receptionist to schedule my next donation 56 days later. The first semester of my freshman year of college I donated a pint (Hey, they were set up on the first floor of my dorm it they offered free food). When I stopped donating at the end of 1999, I had donated over 5 gallons of blood.

I didn't want to stop donating, I was snagged by an inevitability - I had a false positive for one of the HepB screens. Granted, the test they used at the time had a 10% false positive rate. Despite further tests showing I was negative, the fact that one screen came up positive that one time was enough for me to be removed from the eligible donor list.

Every year since then I've called the Red Cross to see if there had been any changes that would reinstate me. Today I got word that I might be reinstated. They have to check out my file more, but the folks at the blood center in Nashville thought I was in the group that were reinstated because of the goofy test and other reasons. I'm expecting a call on Monday or Tuesday to verify my reinstatement and they will forward my paperwork to the Alabama chapter.

I'm so excited about this. It is pitiful how few people take the time to flex their fist and eat free food to save someone's life. I understand some people FREAK at needles, but most people could easily take the time to help our nation's blood supply with a pint or two a year. It has pained me so much these past 7 years to see news reports about the blood supply crises and not be able to donate.

Anyone in H'ville care to join me for a donation if this news proves true? I'll hold your hand and tell you it's okay. Lord knows, I can't look when they stab me, but otherwise I'm fine. I'll even buy you a treat afterward!