less is almost always more

A few posts ago I shared some quickly edited excerpts of interviews with librarians about Pioneer, Utah's Online Library. The segment ran almost five minutes (4:20). Long ago I learned that shorter pieces are almost always stronger than their more verbose parents (hmm...is there a generational lesson here?) and so I worked to cut the piece differently, more effectively and shorter for last Friday's meeting of the UEN Steering Committee.

Here's the 2:07 version...

(yet another in ongoing series of Fincast Podcasts)

Magnathon Triathlon

Magnathon Triathlon
Originally uploaded by rfin.

Swam, biked and ran my first triathlon today in Magna. Salt Lake County Parks and Recreation included a novice category in the Magnathon Triathlon so those of designated with an "N" only had to swim 200 meters, bike 12 miles and run one mile. I finished in 1:20.52 which was good enough for a first place ribbon in my age group. Dave and Dalon also scored blue ribbons in their age groups. All in all a great first triathlon experience. I knew I'd be OK with the swimming and biking but the run was the intimidating part for this former non-runner.

On Golden Pond (budget version)

On Golden Pond (budget version)
Originally uploaded by rfin.

I've seen sunsets on the Great Salt Lake since I was a little boy living on the hill in Bountiful. I still see the lake, sometimes in unlikely places.

Antelope Island Moonlight Ride

Antelope Island Moonlight Ride
Originally uploaded by rfin.

It's been a year since I first heard of the moonlight journey across the Great Salt Lake to Antelope Island. Friday night we rode the ride, howled at the moon, fought the wind, gulped free food and drink at the vistors center, fought our way back across the causway, then Jeep-pooled it back home--all by no later than 2:00 a.m.

Celebrate World Blood Donor Day

Strange. I've been a blood donor for about two decades, but today's the first time I've heard about World Blood Donor Day. It's also the first time I've really considered that there's also a path to follow when you can't give blood--you can volunteer to help with blood drives.

needle marks Originally uploaded by rfin.

Why do I donate? Several reasons. Probably the first is utlimately selfish. I like the way I feel. I like knowing that I've done something to help someone I'm connected with by blood type. B Negative is the second rarest type of blood. Only one in every 112 people is B NEG. Of course I had no more choice in the matter than my eye color or shoe size, but I do have the choice of what I do with it.

There's also the sensual part of the process. When I started, I distracted myself from the details, but now I'm an interested overserver of the the soft recliners and great view of the mountains at ARUP. The cold metal arm trays on the folding chairs when the Red Cross sets up at my neigborhood church. The foamy betadine scrub. The way my left arm accepts the needle much less painfully than my right. The burgundy color of venus blood in the plastic tubing.

I also like the idea that of all the ways to bleed throughout the ages--on the battle field, as a part of an initiation or sacrifice or torture, internally as a result of injury or disease, externally from a knife wound or surgical wound or self-inflicted wound, or medicinal bloodletting with lancets or leeches--this type of bleeding if preferable. True, giving your blood in battle (whether in war or sports or some other noble cause) has a certain appeal, but I'm glad a I live in an age where there's also this less violent way to give.

And then there's always that lingering question, do I prefer to drink cranberry juice after a donation because I'm replacing one red fluid with another?

A few blood links:

• Red Gold - Four Part PBS Series and online site with Lesson Plans
• ARUP Blood Services
• Red Cross

a conversation

a typical conversation, well, no not exactly...exercise_interview.MP3