13 Comments
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Elizabeth Pizzinato's avatar

Wonderful post Wil!

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Wil Reidie's avatar

Printing this message off and hanging it in my bathroom. Thank you!!

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John Gonter's avatar

True story: I was "deferred indefinitely" from 2004 until I think 2017 because I told the Red Cross [the official vampires in US] when I went in 2004 to donate that I had gone to raves in San Francisco in 1991 and wasn't sure whom I had had sex with. I honestly couldn't remember.

Only when they changed the rules was I allowed to donate again.

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Wil Reidie's avatar

Well at least your restriction came with some fun, I never liked beef in my youth anyway.

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Jenny Clark's avatar

Hilarious read. Unfortunately, I'm also a hypochondriac and it's taking everything in me not to google "mad cow risk California 1990's"

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Wil Reidie's avatar

Relax, old friend. It's a British speciality and a rare one at that.

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Jenny Clark's avatar

I actually remember being terrified of it about ten years ago, totally forgot so I’m sure I’ll forget again. I have west Nile to worry about anyways

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Wil Reidie's avatar

In all seriousness, sorry to hear you deal with anxiety about health as well. It can be really debilitating.

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Jack Whalen's avatar

Mad Cow, decades to show itself…. I too would spend the remainder of my decades pondering this, waiting for the day - good luck, Wil

but anyway, I just love every single one of the essays in this series, they make me laugh and bring back so many Finland memories (like: Decemberi. Helsinki, the pervasive long lasting darkness, which I did not mind much but my Finnish friends kept telling me this was only because I could leave, would be leaving every year just before the sun started showing itself more often)

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Wil Reidie's avatar

Thanks, Jack. Hope all's well with you! Interesting point about the "being able to leave” point. Hadn't thought about that. Glad you're enjoying the series, fun to write.

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Julie McCoy's avatar

Very funny Mr Radiator! I nearly forgot about mad cow disease having lived briefly in London in 1981. Side note: I tried to give blood two years ago and the technician missed a vein and hit a nerve instead. You don’t want the gory details but I will never attempt that again.

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Wil Reidie's avatar

that's painful just to read, what a nightmare. Don't blame you for being put off. Thanks for reading, Julie.

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Catherine's avatar

Poor Wil, anxiety sucketh greatly

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