Ve Vant Your Bluurd!

You know, I was once proud of my name. Quite happy with it, actually. Somehow the Italian name suited me, despite my Chinese roots. See, my dad had a thing for exotic names back in day - which is how he ended up with Ricardo, my brother ended up with Geoffrey (how pompous!) and I ended up with Isabella.

Unfortunately, due to an impulsive publishing choice and a few million crazy, teenage fans, a certain author has doomed my name forever to bring to mind images of sparkling vampires and six-packed werewolves. 

I think you know what I mean. 

So one day, I decided I was sick of introductions always starting with 'Bella? As in the angsty girl in Twilight?" and decided to break out, fly to the sky if you will. And last Monday, I woke up at an ridiculously early time to donate blood to the Red Cross with Gusta. 

That's right Edward, I'm giving away the sweet, sweet blood attracted you so much. How do you like me now!?

Due to miscalculations to time (and an inability to run for buses), we ended up missing the bus and walking from Parramatta station to the Red Cross at Rosehill. Luckily, it was a lovely day for walking with some clouds and a light breeze blowing.

Unluckily, both Gusta and I are not actually the fittest of people, so we huffed and sweated and struggled through the 1.5km journey until we collapsed, heaving, at the sliding doors of the Red Cross.

Please don't judge us.

Once we arrived, opting to take the 10 second elevator ride instead of climbing another flight of steps, a kind lady greeted us, and gave us questionaires to fill out. If you ever think of giving blood, make sure you are healthy and not carrying any diseases, because your blood can save three lives - even those of newborn babies!

Three lives. Now I don't know if that's true, but doesn't that chill you? Make you realise, that you have the potential within you to change lives?

It's a very humbling thing to know that simply because you were willing sacrifice something you'll barely miss, somewhere in the world, a part of you will live on in somebody else.

As soon as the interview was over, and I had signed all that there was to sign, I was led to a rather comfortable recliner. I must have looked slightly panicked, because a soothing vampire (well he WAS about to take my blood) began talking to me in a soft voice.

"Now this is going to hurt a little when the needle goes in.. and it looks gross so don't look at it!"

What he meant really, was that watching your blood flow into a plastic bag is not exactly the most appetising of things. But still, of course, very macho and cool. If you're looking for date ideas boys, consider taking your girlfriends along to the Red Cross!

Afterwards, we were forced to sit for 10 minutes, and then forced to drink strawberry milkshakes, eat chocolate muffins and scoff pies. "Oh well, if you insist." we said, and devoured their delicious food unashamedly.

As we ate, Gusta and I thought forlornly to the long walk ahead of us, but then the lady at Red Cross surprised us entirely by agreeing to drive us to school! 

She talked in the car, and we found out she was only twenty, lived in the Blue Mountains, had a millionaire boyfriend at one point, and got her L's at 16. All in all, it was a nice end to a life-saving morning, and though we rushed into class with crumbs on our faces, I really felt a sense of peace.

Or was that just lightheaded bloodloss symptoms? Either way, if you haven't already, please consider donating blood. It only takes less than an hour, but its a process that can add a million more hours to somebody's life. If I can do it, you certainly you can :)

Ve Vant Your Bluurd! 

Always remember, Happiness Equals Bracket =)