I should start giving blood again (and so should you)

Regardless of what the title might suggest, I don't mean this to be a preachy post about why you should get yourself to a blood drive and allow them to take a pint of  blood from your arm this very instant.

There are actually lots and lots of people for whom giving blood is not an option, for one legitimate medical reason or another. And I know that previous negative experiences with blood donation or needles in general can make it very difficult for others to give.

But for the rest of us, there's really not much of an excuse, is there?

According to my Red Cross blood donor card, I have donated 97 times in my life. That's just over 12 gallons I've given over the years, and I will say that I'm kind of proud of that.

In fact, I wish I could tell you that the primary reason I give blood is to help people. I mean, that is what I want to accomplish. But if I'm being honest, I'll tell you that what motivates me most to get into the car and head to a blood drive is not the altruistic nature of the process. It's to push my donation number even higher.

I MUST GET TO 100 DONATIONS. I MUST REACH 15 GALLONS, 20 GALLONS, 25 GALLONS. I MUST DO THIS SO THAT OTHERS WILL RECOGNIZE ME AS A GOOD PERSON.

I've said it before and I'll say it again: You don't have to tell me what a weird, terrible little person I am. I already know.

I do love the idea that up to three people may be helped by every whole-blood donation I make. But what I really want are those little donation milestone pins they give you when you hit a particular gallon milestone.

Several years ago I used to give via apheresis, where they take blood from you, remove the platelets, and put what's left back into your body. It takes a couple of hours, but platelets are extremely important to a wide range of people, from cancer and heart surgery patients to transplantees and traumatic injury victims.

My friend Peter Clausen gives platelets often. Like, really often. He makes his way downtown to the donation center every week or so and listens to classical music (often "air conducting" the piece himself) while they remove his platelets.

Peter has given hundreds of times. Who knows how many people are still alive because of his generosity and others like him?

I used to feel like that myself. But another fact my donation card reveals is that I haven't given blood since December 27, 2013. I would tell you the reason is that I've been too busy, but you and I both know I'm just rationalizing there, so why bother?

I'll you what: I promise I'll get myself to a blood drive in the next few weeks if you do the same. What do you think?

For all the blessings you and I enjoy, I'm thinking it's the least we can do.

Deal? Deal.