–smmmmokinnnn– or “we’re not in CA anymore, Toto”

It’s amazing how used to non-smoking environments I am. Today I had dinner at a burger joint with a bar in it, and folks were smoking all over the place. At the bar, at the tables inside, at the tables on the enclosed balcony. Yuck. I guess we’re moving the country a little bit at a time, and I suppose that big tobacco states like NC will probably be the last on the boat.

The photo on the right shows my new car in front of my evening haunt: the bagel, coffee, wifi corner.

Today I got new tires installed on my car, and while waiting and watching the news I saw there was a blood drive that was ending at 7:00. I went online with my new Treo phone/PDA, and was able to find a blood drive location only a mile away. I got there just about closing, and was able to give blood. It’s probably been ten years since I last gave: I got out of the habit, then when I had my melanoma, I had to wait five years until I could give. Now, maybe I’ll get back in the habit. Gotta find the local blood bank in Pleasant Hill 🙂

I experienced how easy it is to mis-read again today. In the blood donation questionnaire, one of the questions is about cancer. I and the tech who was filling in the form were looking for the right code for the cancer I had. One of them read something like “All other … cancers … except A, B, non-melanoma skin cancer, D, E.” We both read it as this did not include my melanoma (“all other except melanoma”) but it actually does (“all other except non-melanoma” ).He finally had someone come over who re-read it to us. We joked about how it was time to go back to school 🙂

Well, time to go to bed. I wish everyone well.

Lee