Thursday 3 September 2009

Bloody Life


Lost just over a pound on Tuesday evening – I gave blood again.

People like to think they’re something special by virtue of having a rare blood type, but when you think of it you’re much safer having a blood group that’s a common as muck – like my O/Rh+.

Despite Hay being well versed in matters biological, I had never asked her how long donated blood lasts. On attending the donor session I asked and was surprise to find it only has a shelf-life of between 30 and 45 days – and only 5 days if you’re just talking about donating platelets.

I was reading the Philosophy & Life blog yesterday which contained a 2nd hand piece about the purpose of life. I hate it when people look for a purpose to life, as I believe we determine our own purpose; life ‘is’ and if you keep looking for a purpose to it then it will pass you by.

If forced into defining a purpose then I would define it as adapting everything around us to make life just that bit more bearable for ourselves and our progeny. Enlightened existence I would call making life that bit more bearable for as many as possible, whereas unenlightened existence is concerned solely with the self.


7 comments:

Alan Burnett said...

And therefore, having given blood to someone else and potentially helped to make their lives a little more bearable, you are truly enlightened. On a different question, what do they do with the blood when it is past its sell-by date? Reduce the price by 20% perhaps?

Chairman Bill said...

Alan: Never though of it that way. Giving blood is something I only started doing recently.

As for the blood that's past the sell-by date - ever wondered why black pudding is so cheap? That's going to turn you off black pudding forever - wish I'd never said it.

♥ Braja said...

You mean Monty Python's Meaning of Life was fiction????

Shit.

Alan Burnett said...

"That's going to turn you off black pudding forever - wish I'd never said it".
So do I

Kabbalah Rookie said...

You? Common as muck? Never!
I think I am nearly as common with type A Rh+ but not nearly so useful - isn't group O the universal donor?
I'll second Alan on the black pudding comment...

Phil said...

Mate, LIFE is...........what you make it
Quit ye like men........be strong !

Phil said...

As to blood::: Mine is A/O.. Alcohol and Oxygen !