The writings of Max Robinson: It is better to donate blood than it is to spit blood

To blog or not to blog ?

To DONATE blood or to SPIT blood.

4am saw me seated at the computer to write today's edition. I was going to write my traditional thrice yearly blog promoting blood donation. All I did was to put on the page the donate blood picture then I gave up, shut down the PC and went back to bed. Too many people had yesterday shown disrespect to myself and my friends my heart was just not in it.

I am still very offended and hurt but here I am 7.10am and rattling the keys for what I believe is an important edition.

As I write I have the LP The Greatest Ever Rock And Roll Mix playing. Bob Funkhouse added that to our vinyl collection at the week-end. The songs I will play as I type will be what ever the record player is singing at the time.

Six o'clock saw me at University Hospital Milton Keynes leaving at reception a letter for Trust Chairman Simon Lloyd suggesting ways we can support our amazing NHS and incredible hospital. Yesterday I posted a letter offering our vast music collection to help Milton Keynes Hospital Radio.

12.40 today will see me in a donor chair with a tube taking a pint of blood from my arm. Isn't it GREAT how the blood donor system uses proper measurements ONE PINT and not HALF A LITRE.

This will be my 21st donation and mark 7 years as a blood donor. In seven years I have not missed a session. BUT if I had first given blood when I was a student, when the college matron tried to persuade me, this would be donation 147 ! Years of cowardice stopped me. I am ashamed of my cowardice. I intend to live ling enough to donate a total of fifty pints. I'll be 80 years old by then. BRING IT ON !

You Never Grow Old With Rock And Roll !

I was a very small child when these songs were hits. I love them now but have no memory of them from my childhood.

I hope I am still able to rock and roll when I am eighty years old.

It is better to DONATE blood than to SPIT blood but I am still spitting blood at Morrissons Supermarket Westcroft. The way it has treated our offer to stage a a Rock and Roll Party there to support The Food Bank has me very angry. I approached the company's head office on 14th June but did not receive the basic courtesy of a reply. On Tuesday I took a presentation into the store. Yesterday I was told the store has other things happening and is too busy to take up our offer. I AM SO DEEPLY HURT BY THE STORE'S DISCOURTESY.

It did not help when I received the brush off from Asda, a polite brush off but a brush off just the same.

I sent an e-mail yesterday to Leon School praising our LEONITES. I am hurt it did not bring about an immediate response. Not hurt for myself but hurt for my amazing Leonite Friends.

I am angered by the false and misleading propaganda Milton Keynes has put out in the media about the WONDERFUL WORK it is doing for the homeless. Trust me it is a pack of lies ! Yes, it is an AMBITION, nothing wrong about that, but it is ONLY an ambition. With the current failing council systems it will NEVER happen. I wish it would happen but it will not. I am angry that The Milton Keynes Citizen and MKFM were so gullible and swallowed it hook, line and sinker.

SAD isn't it ? But it is better to DONATE blood than to SPIT blood.

Are you a blood donor. Don't be the coward I was for all those years. It does not hurt. It saves lives.

Some dates for your diary.

SATURDAY 7th June I plan to get to The Irish Centre in Bletchley to set up the car boot stall at 6am and to stay there until it ends. If anyone wants drop by and say HI that would be lovely. If anyone could help out for a bit that would be mega.

Sunday 8th June I'll be setting up at the MK Bowl sale. The dates open at 5am, I was there at 4.30am last week and was number 20 in the queue ! AGAIN drop by and say HI.