Giving blood is BRUTAL. No seriously, it is. I was finally able to give today after getting rejected the past two weeks (I needed more broccoli in my life).

I guess you could call this my goody-two-shoes PSA. I’ve been working and advocating for blood donation for almost ten years now. I started out volunteering at them when I was too young to donate and have been a consistent donor since I was old enough. It’s shocking that something so simple saves so many lives, and yet most people don’t do it. You have a 50/50 chance of needing blood at some point in your life, and the only way you can get it is to give it! Ya feel me? PLUS, my personal donating preference, New York Blood Services (for those of you reading in New York AND New Jersey) has an incentive program for their platelet and red cell donors where you earn and redeem points for cool stuff. And it’s actually legit, cool stuff that you would WANT. Like METAL MUSIC. Awesome.

So get out their and spare a pint for someone who needs it. And YES, you will get free juice and cookies. And Pantera’s Vulgar Display of Power  or Slayer’s Hell Awaits.

-Julia