I can't donate blood

I had signed up for the Bloodmobile which was making a stop at my office, and went down this morning, but when answering the intake questions, ran into a snag. I studied at Cambridge University in 1981. They won't take your blood if you were in England for three months at that time. They're thinking of mad cow disease, of course.

I went upstairs, called Rob, who is home today, and had him take my journal off the shelf from 1981. Using the journal, I was able to ascertain the exact number of days I was in England at the time: 83 days. I went back to the Bloodmobile, and learned that their "three month" cut-off is officially 72 days. So I am not eligible to give blood. Ever.

This makes me sad. I have always believed in doing my civic duty, and blood donation is something I've always believed in. It has been years since I've donated, however, and I was glad to do it again--and sad now, to discover I can't.

Does this also make me ineligible to be an organ donator?

Glare report: 11/16/04: More on Lake Nokomis scene

Words: 335

Stopping because: it's late and I have to get to bed.

Notes: Um. I still have more to write on this scene. Still feels more like a sketch than that I've caught the actual words; it still feels too bare in sensory detail. I do think I did capture Jack's voice in a line or two at least.

Mood: Vague depression. When am I going to get writing faster, dammit? I'm so bloody slow. This is pathetically lame. What a pitiful output. Call yourself a writer, Peg? Geez. This book sucks.