The Big DumpTruck

As a service to my readers (and other people who aren't my readers but could be if they would just type my URL into their browser's address field. Sheesh.) I have created a new page where all the "Still Life With Interview" pieces from the Daily Probe will live. The link is over in the right menu. Tell all your friends!

I have another interview over at the Daily Probe. Just as a heads-up, I am working on creating a new page here at the Dump to feature all the ones I write. Until I get that done, you can read the new one at the Probe.

How silly is it to get excited over something like a new CompactFlash card? I ordered two off Amazon last week...one of them was $163 OFF the list price (it's a high-speed 512meg card) and the other is a $10 after rebate (a 128meg card). Don't do the math, you can't just say "why not get 4 of the 128meg cards". It's not the same, when you're talking about not wanting to swap out cards in the middle of something. Plus high speed is good. I don't know that I'd buy a 512 regular speed card. The rate between photos would be slower, and I believe it's also a drain on the batteries.

Anyway, now I have a decent selection of cards, including two useless 8meg cards that we bought like, 8 years ago when we got our first digital camera. I can save about seven pictures on them.

I was able to capture my blood donating thoughts in my journal last night, and now I can share them with you all.

Well, I made it through the day and successfully donated blood. I was actually nervous this time just because I knew more since last time. Everything went well, even if the whole thing is a huge time suck. I guess no matter how many times you donate you have to fill out the exact same paperwork. If I have never lived more than three months outside the US the last time donated, and it hasn't been three months since then, can we maybe assume I'm clean? I guess I could have taken up sleeping with a gay male prostitute intravenous drug-using hemophiliac with SARS but, well, what are the odds, really.

They had a ton of people donating. I had to wait my turn to even have the initial screening stuff done. Two of us went over to the tables at the same time, and whether he knew it or not, I was racing him to see which one of us would finish filling our bags first. I won - I don't know if he had issues donating, but when he went over to the snack table he started to feel woozy so they made him go lie down and put cold compresses on his forehead, etc. Poor guy. He didn't stand a chance against me.

I didn't write that up on the computer last night because I was too tired. I blamed that on being down a pint combined with my dinner of American cheese slices. Cause it was late when I got home and I didn't want to stand at the stove or anything. And nobody would run to UNOs to get me a fish sandwich (have you HAD one of these? I'm addicted). I had a few crackers too. And water. Lots of water.

I wonder what kind of hits I'm going to get based on that sentence up there. You know the one.

I enjoy the oddball sports, I have to admit it. The first thing I did was look up when synchronized swimming happens, because there's nothing better for greasing the comedy wheels than a good synchronized swimming final. (That's the 22rd-26th, I think. I'll let you know when it's closer.

I did watch synchronized diving too. Hell, anything synchronized has to be good, right? On one of my mailing lists we were having the "where do they think up these events" conversations, and my thought is that the people at the highest levels in these areas (is there a World Diving Commission?) try to come up with another way to get more coverage at the Olympics, by having more events. More events means more people can become involved in the sport.

But as one person pointed out, did any little kid every have a pickup game of synchronized diving? No. He feels that Olympic events should only be things that little kids do for fun when left to their own devices. Basketball, soccer, swim races, running races, etc. Anything that isn't subjective in judging. You either came in first or you didn't. Anything that the average person could judge from their living room. Not whether or not a diver reached a full extension, or if a gymnast did enough dance in her floor routine, but which guy threw the shot put the furthest. It's the difference between speed skating and ice dancing, you know?

I like this idea. It will never happen, but I like it.

In my on-going effort to pink-ify myself, I am sporting the latest in fashion for the pre-school set - a ponytail holder that has sparkley little flower-shaped beads flowing off it. My 4-year-old niece and I picked them out at Target last week, but I forgot to leave them at her house. So I'm wearing one today. Because I can.

So far nobody has said anything to me. I think I'm relieved.

Did you already order (or pre-order) you copy of Mary Shomon's new book The Thyroid Diet? It comes out today!

(I saw her in June and she's lost a lot of weight following her own diet!)

I'm giving blood tomorrow night. Mostly because the Red Cross called me personally and asked if I would donate, given my blood type and the fact that nationwide there's a less-than 2 day supply. When something like Hurricane Charley happens, you realize how important that blood supply is. How important it is EVERY day.

So if you are a healthy adult, find your nearest donation center and sign up. If nothing else, do it for the juice and cookies! (If you live in the Leominster area, tomorrow they will be at the Elks from 1 to 7 or so.)

I'm just crossing my fingers that my iron levels are good enough for me to donate. I've been pretty good about taking my supplements, but you never know.