i see red today

today is really a hell of a day. i was crossing the road in front of my house with one hand checking my mobile. after crossing, i heard a yell. i turned up my head and saw one lady flied off. wow. that is really shocking. then it took me awhile to notice what it was. a car just knocked a lady off. and the image of the woman flying off is still on my mind.

my reaction was quite slow. i waited awhile, digesting the picture in front of me before rushing for her assistance. by the time i arrived, there is a few people gathering around her. someone was calling the ambulance. from what i could see, she is fine. no blood, no injury. she claimed she was alright. but the car's windscreen was terribly cracked. i hope she was alright. fortunately the passerby and the driver insisted she waited for the ambulance.

truly a shock to me because i always cross the road. thinking back, it still sends chill down my spine. i will be more careful the next time. promise.

today is also a unique day. after much persuasion, coercion or force, i decided to donate blood. the blood donation system here works pretty good. first, you make an appointment with a telephone receptionist to tell you about your eligibility to donate. you must not be sick, take any medicine or have unprotected sexual intercourse. (thats what i learn). if not, you become illegible as a blood donor. the wind was particularly strong while waiting and the sudden drizzle further made me wonder did i make a bad decision.

luckily, the person overseeing our form is very friendly so do the interviewer and nurse

. to sum it all, the staff there is very warm and nice. and there was this particular guy who guess my chinese surname. too bad, he guessed it wrong. of course, coming from Malaysia, my surname doesn't strictly follow the exact han yu pin yin. i have to explain why my surname was such and such. he thought we have the same "xu" at first. then i said nope. he showed me two different surnames. i pointed out that my surname is particularly rare and he agreed. =)

the moment the nurse poked the needle, i wasn't paying attention. by the time i realised how thick the needle was, i almost fainted there and there. luckily, i just relax, breathe in, breathe out. everything was fine. i think it was not painful at all, just a slight irritation on your skin. it feels like something crawling underneath your skin. haha. and one note: drink a lot of water before blood donation. it is like a rule. anything less than 4 glasses of water, you will be turned down.

i realise today there are a lot of people donating blood. i wonder is

it because their level of civic is higher or is it because their Australians generally have caring hearts. either way, it is a good thing. in my opinion, part of the reason is it doesn't take that long to donate here. around 1 hour. the staff definitely makes the process easier. thumbs up. i love the concept of having a caravan style like donation center. although it is occasional visit, it is still the thought that counts and increasing the level of awareness of the general public. and i am proud to say that, "My name is Chee Seng and I am a first time blood donor". oh yea, i got a sticker on my shirt as well. =)

another good news:i am taller. when i came here to sydney, i was 171. measuring my height yesterday, i am 173. hoho... i am still growing.

blooger is feeling good for participating in a community service