Bloody Blood!

I'd like to donate some blood to the Red Cross, but it seems like they don't want it. They keep sending me letters and SMSes asking me for blood (they want my blood in particular - I'm O negative, which means they can use it for anything. It's good to know there's one thing I'm useful for).

They've sent a letter and a couple of emails asking me to donate this week at Sydney Uni. Can I book a time online? No, of course not. After all, it's 1998 and not everyone is online yet.

So I called up to book a time (which is a big thing for me. I hate calling call centres, so I only do it if I really have to). But it was shortly after 5pm, and they'll be buggered if they'll wait around until people who have jobs have time to call them.

So I called them back today, in business hours, I get a rather surly sounding gentleman. Telling me they're busy. He doesn't mention that he'd appreciate me waiting, or act in any way grateful. After all, he's doing me a favour by telling me they are busy. After he's told me that three or four times (and the phone line is silent in between, so I'm not sure if I'm supposed to wait or not, especially since he hasn't asked me to wait), another recorded voice comes on and tells me to leave my name and number, and they'll call back. They could've told me that when I first called, but they kept me on the line for ages instead. Odds are, when they call back I won't be at my desk, so I won't get their message.

So, no blood for them. Even though I'd quite like to give it to them.

Anyway, donate some blood to the ARCBS. It's difficult, but I've found in the past they'll occasionally let you.