Brightening up the guest bath

Who would think to write about a wall switch plates? Me, of course. And reason being I
think it's a very attractive switch plate. I got to looking and thought the old standard plane,
boring, off-white switch plate had to go.

colorful alcohol ink switch plate

Now, doesn't this make for a more attractive switch plate?   Then to make it a bit more
interesting, I found just the shower curtain to compliment my switch plate.

tropical scenery shower curtain

So, now the room is looking a lot more colorful and inviting. Every time I walk past the
bathroom I see this scenery and I can almost imagine smelling coconut, sipping on a
mimosa and walking along the beach of a tropical island. Oh, yeah.

Need I say more?

Oh yeah, I'm planning to decorate more rooms with switch plates of Renee's hand-painted
alcohol ink designs from her etsy shop- ReneeKDesigns.  Her colors 'pop'. I promise you'll
think the same thing.
And, it just wouldn't have been right to not get a matching outlet cover to match the
light switch plate cover.

My attractive Renee K Designs outlet cover

 So, what I did was add a shower curtain complimenting the colors in the wall switch plate
and outlet cover, and find some small rugs, and voila, not too shabby for decorating a guest
bath, huh?

Throw rugs from a dollar store

But all in all, I have to say what I like the best are the hand painted wall plates. They're one
of-a-kind, artsy, hand-painted originals.  Pretty cool! Now, wouldn't you like to perk up a
room or two? If you do, send me a photo. I want to see what you came up with.
 Challenge- do if for under $65.

American Red Cross won't take blood for how long?

It's been a few years, correction, a couple decades since I last donated blood to the American Red Cross. I wasn't surprised to see the intake screening questions a bit more in-depth, and good reason
 to be.
Last time I donated blood I had to be weighed to make sure I met at least the minimum weight to donate, and, AIDS wasn't on the scene yet.


Photo credit: puravida from morguefile.com
 
Besides showing a picture ID and completing a questionnaire of about twenty questions concerning hepatitis, certain medications, blood transfusions, traveling to certain countries, and if I've had
sexual contact with prostitutes or with person(s) who practiced or might have been exposed to
anyone who partook in questionable sexual practices, the most interesting thing I read was the American Red Cross does not utilize blood from a man who's had any sexual contact with another man at any time after the year 1977.  That's 35 years! That's a long time.

video-'Ban on gay donors gets a second look'.

I even had my finger pricked to test my iron content because donating blood naturally is going to deplete iron available in the body.


Photo credit: cohdra from morguefile.com
 
 So, the American Red Cross does not want blood from any man who's had sexual contact with another man for a many years. Of course people, and gay men especially, who practice sex with other men are going to claim discrimination that their blood is as good as the blood as those who are of heterosexual persuasion.
The answer is there has been problems and there are risks to the person receiving the blood. The American Red Cross doesn't want that at all.

The Red Cross screens to keep a safe blood supply, and here's why-

-The first case of post-transfusion HIV since 2002 was recently reported (CDC link: http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml… . Specifics on the donor indicate unreported high risk activity over many years. Until pathogen inactivation technology has been perfected to treat donated blood components for transfusion-transmissible diseases, donor questionnaires and screening tests provide the best chance for a safe blood supply-  This is from a medical director at a regional blood center.

The screenings are a precautionary measure to keep blood supplies as safe as possible for recipients.

Here's an article that the Red Cross wants to amend the restrictions to a shorter time.  I hope if this happens, blood recipients get to choose if they want the blood of a gay/bisexual man or not.
It's a matter of receiving blood that is safe, not discrimination, and, of having a choice in what goes into your body from someone else's body.

Here's an article stating the FDA's goal also is to keep the blood supply safe. That is not discrimination, that is being responsible.  That is no way at all being discriminatory towards anyone. The blood supply needs to be 'clean'.  There should remain a strict intake to ensure guidelines and practices to have the blood supply as safe as possible for people needing transfusions.

If there is any hint of a possibility that a person wanting to donate blood may cause the recipient to become sick, then no question, their blood should not be used.

Of course nothing is 100% full-proof. I'm sure gay men and those with HIV have lied on the blood screening questionnaire and donated blood anyway. And, if they can lie about that, who knows what else they can lie about?
That's not being considerate of the well fair of another person and the purpose of donating blood is to help someone. Again, if there's any risk of donated blood being risky, then that defeats the purpose.

All blood may be red in color, but under a microscope, unseen by the naked eye, the cells can be carrying some different cellular material.

Precautions are needed-all blood is not the same

Photo credit: darrenhester from morguefile.com
 
Why do those practicing alternate lifestyles have problems accepting their lifestyle choices bring them unwanted challenges? Do they wish their choice of having a same-sex partner to be equal in every way to a heterosexual relationship?  No matter how you may wish, the two are very much different. But still, discrimination and unfair are cried out.

Simply put, there is no way a man/man relationship can be compared as equal or the same as a  man/woman relationship.  It was never designed or intended to be that way. But, if that is of your choosing, and you do have a choice, but there will be complications you may not like concerning that choice. And, it's not fair to push or force the consequences of an alternative lifestyle upon those who do not care for any association with the gay/same-sex lifestyle.

"No' is often meant for protection and safety

Photo credit: penywise from morguefile.com
 
Yes, God allows you to choose, but there are consequences that go along with certain choices. And those consequences will not ever go away, no matter how loudly you cry.

And, no judging of anyone is intended or implied. God loves the sinner, but hates the sin.

Let's not take any risks and keep the blood supply as safe as possible. Every dear person's health and well being depends upon that being so.