(no subject)

[turps]

It was my latest blood donation today. Unlike last time it went very well and I gave a full pint easily.

Of course, it was very different than usual but I felt very safe. You had to be triaged before you even got past the lobby of the donation centre, and a nurse in PPE took me and another man upstairs, as downstairs was being used to collect plasma from people who have already had the coronavirus. From there it was a quick wait to drink water and read the info pack before being taken to a banana chair and the deed being done.

The only thing I thought was a bit strange was no drink was offered after. Obviously the snack table couldn't happen and I was given a chocolate club to take away with me, but no offer of a drink. Plus, you were sent back downstairs on your own which seemed a bit risky straight after a donation. I have to assume it was because I'm a regular donor and newbies would be watched for a bit. I hope so anyway.

Milo was feeling very sorry for himself this morning. All the good drugs must have worn off and he keeps lying with his chin on the ground, no doubt because the sides of his face hurt. But he's eating nicely and is taking his meds -- not nicely, but you know, he's taking them. The nurse yesterday said he'd need to be checked by the vet either Friday or Monday, but when I phoned to make the appointment she said unless things start to go wrong and he seems ill, it's fine to just phone them on Tuesday and say how he's doing, oh, and to take photos of his teeth and mouth if possible and send them over. Which, okay then, I see the possibility of successfully doing that being around zero.

The June Something.

Besides deathfic, rape/non-con, what is something that, no matter the pairing, you nope out of when it comes to reading?

Well, first up I read all of those things. I get why they're used as an example but they wouldn't make me nope at all. Not much does tbh. Though I'm not keen on body fluids used as a focus of a fic and reading humiliation tends to make me cringe. One that does make me back button like whoa is a character being made evil in order to get two other people together. So, for example, Jamia made evil to get Frank and Gerard together or back in the day, Alicia as some kind of mean, abusive gold digger. I'm not down with that at all.

Comments

[undeadrobins]

I'm due to give blood next month (I think). I'll have to remember to take my water bottle with me, and make sure hubby is there to pick me up - I occasionally get a little light-headed after donating.

[turps]

Taking your own water bottle would be a good idea.

I completely understand why the had to stop the snack table for now, but I like those minutes of time after a donation to have a drink, eat a biscuit and relax before having to walk out.

Having your own drink and someone there to pick you up would be reassuring I think.

[shadowhive]

That all sounds so strange. I’ve not donated in ages and dunno how it’d be here since it’s only done in one room in a one floor building

Aww poor Milo, I hope he’ll be ok

[turps]

I found it really hard to get blood donation appointments at a mobile session, so go to the dedicated blood centre in Newcastle now. Thankfully it's based in a really big building so they can easily split the sessions up. I have no idea how they'd do it otherwise. I know the travelling session that comes to my home town happens in a sports hall, so no way of splitting that up easily.

I think Milo should be feeling better from today. I know when I've had dental work done a day or so after I start to feel less pain so I hope it's the same for cats.

[turlough]

No drink afterwards does sound a little odd. If they want people to bring their own they should tell you so beforehand!

Aww, poor Milo! I don't remember if Lancecat was sore afterwards but hopefully Milo won't be for much longer. Photograph the mouth and teeth of a cat?!! Well, possibly if one person held the cat, another held its mouth open, and a third one took the photos. Possibly! Unless the cat REALLY struggled.

I don't read deathfic unless it's the sort with a twist. I DEMAND happy endings! And yeah, character bashing like that is so much NO!

[turps]

They should have mentioned no drink afterwards. It would have been easy to do as they sent a few texts saying that the session would be in a new place and to wear a mask if possible, so it would have been simple to say, bring along your own sealed drink for after.

I'm hoping Milo will be less sore from today. He's asleep atm so I'll see when he wakes. I suspect it's the stitches that are bothering him, especially as they're on both sides. There's not a chance that Milo will let us take photos of his mouth and teeth. As you said, we'd need more hands, especially as they'd need photos of the very back of his mouth.

Character bashing, that's the term I was looking for. I really don't like that at all, especially if it's done to get two other characters together.

[turlough]

I don't think Lancecat ever had any stitches. I can well imagine how uncomfortable it would be to have those in my mouth!

[frausorge]

Go you giving blood! Though I agree with everyone that it seems odd not to provide some juice or at least water to get you some reinforcement afterwards.

Poor Milo. I hope his appetite keeps up well, and it sounds good that at least you don't have to physically take him in again.

It feels so unnecessary and uncreative for a writer to demonize a character like that. If you can't come up with a better way to get your pairing together, go back to the drawing board.

[turps]

Normally people sit around the snack table and are offered a hot or cold drink along with snacks after donating. As I said, I completely get why that can't happen right now but I do think they should offer some kind of a drink, even if it's a sealed juice box or bottle of water.

I'm glad he doesn't have to physically go in, though I doubt the photos will happen. Or if they do they'll be white blurs of his chin.

I agree. There are so many ways to get characters together that don't include demonising other characters.

[chroniclesofdylan]

I'm glad to hear the donation went well, and it sounds like they had thought out the distancing side of things very smoothly so kudos to them for that. No drink does sound very strange though.

Poor Milo - I hope he's feeling less sorry for himself soon

[turps]

It did seem like things were in a constant state of change in terms of distancing due to the corona plasma people being invited it. So, yeah, they deserve praise for that. The no drink remains weird, though.

Milo is looking better. Still sleeping a lot but he did that anyway.

[pensnest]

Take photos of your cat's teeth? Ahahahahaha, good luck with that. I hope he is doing well, though.

I have things I'd nope out of (A/B/O, for example) and things I dislike very much (vilification of the women in Our Heroes' lives), but I mostly just nope out of crap writing. Death? Pah, what is death? In fanfic, it's just a temporary inconvenience. I do most heartily agree about humiliation - ickickick! We are obviously soulmates, ish.

[turps]

Milo is like a new cat now. Though I never got photos of his teeth. I phoned and they just had to take my word that he was doing okay.

Reading humiliation makes me cringe, I really can't deal with it at all. A/B/O/ is one where I really have to trust the writer to read. In the wrong hands it can go badly wrong and end up with a bunch of characters I don't recognise at all. Plus, have me cringing at the excessive use of 'slick'

Which reminds me of MPREG. I love Rhys' version of that, but have read some terrible MPREGs

[brandywine28]

You're such a mensch for giving blood -- in general, of course, but especially NOW. I don't think anyone would've blamed you for just quietly skipping out on it this time.

I find that question awfully presumptuous! If no one liked deathfic, it wouldn't exist!

[turps]

The blood giving was okay, even with all the new elements to keep people safe. Though, weeks on and I still miss the snack table. It seems it's a big draw for me *g*

I find that question awfully presumptuous! If no one liked deathfic, it wouldn't exist!

It was a weird lead up to the question. Like you said, obviously people like those tropes or they wouldn't exist at all.