A few years ago, I wrote a column about being deferred from giving blood for a year because I went on vacation in South America for a week. It was as much about getting rejected as it was about donating blood. Every now and again, I receive an e-mail from some United Blood Service worker either chastising me for my attitude or apologizing for the cold shoulder I received. I figure it's time for a more positive take on donating blood.

I've been giving blood since I was seventeen years old. This kid who I played soccer and was in band with in junior high and high school got Leukemia, and the town turned out for a local blood drive for his benefit. At 18 years old, anyone is eligible for giving blood. At 17, I needed my parents' permission, which they gave. When I went to college, and there were blood drives on a regular basis. These days, I get a call from the local offices, and I set up a time when it's convenient for me.

There are lots of reason to be deferred. You can be taking the wrong medication, had a tattoo or piercing applied in the last year, visited the wrong part of the world (that was me!), had sex for money or drugs, had homosexual sex, been related to people with diseases I can't spell or pronounce correctly, or taken aspirin in the last three days. They check your blood, your pressure, your pulse, and your temperature. It's an involved screening process that takes ten to fifteen minutes. Even with all the reasons to be deferred, it's only happen to me once. Other than that, I've always given blood multiple times each year.

I never knew how many times until this last time. After the screening process, the interviewer mentioned off hand that he was out of three gallon pins, but he would make sure I got one. At first, I didn't know what he meant. I get a pen? They're always giving away some little trinket. Then, it dawned on me. Three gallons of blood. I've actually donated more than that, but that's how much they have on their local records. I donate a pint of my B positive whole blood each time. There are two pints in a quart, and four quarts in a gallon. That's 24 pints of blood on record. Wow.

I've always looked at blood donation as volunteering. I was never a plasma boy, getting 25 bucks for my precious blood goo. I don't mind people taking my blood, but I don't want them to put anything back in. I always reward myself with a nice thick meal after donating and take it easy for the rest of the day. I do get a little loopy for the next couple days. As I tell people, "I'm a pint low right now."

It does get my heart pumping. People have said donating blood makes for a stronger heart, and I believe it. There's some serious heart beats going on as the body makes a new batch of blood for myself. It does make me crash out for long periods of time. Last night, I slept for about 11 hours. After about five days, I'm usually back to life already in progress.

The United Blood Service hypes that blood donors are heroes. They send cards about little girls who need a blood transfusion. On the phone, they've tried to get me to donate by describing some guy who was in a motorcycle accident. Personally, I'd rather not know the details. As long as they use my blood for something positive, that's enough for me.

After 9-11, Americans donated blood in droves, as if their blood would be splashed on Ground Zero to put out the fire. It seems like we need a great catastrophe to get behind something. Tsunamis, mud slides, and preemptive strike wars. We can't just do things for the common good without a common bad occurring first. Doing something positive with no specific reason other than it's the right thing to do. Apparently, that's not enough.

I do a lot of things that are questionable in the eyes of the majority, but as a Three Gallon Guy, I have probably done more good for others with donating than any job I've worked. I've probably had a more direct effect on the public than people writing checks to organizations who use the money to pay for people to raise more money. I probably have more gratification for my three gallon accomplishment than any educational degree I've attained.

The funny thing about it is that donating blood is not even that big a deal. It's just something I do. I've just been doing it for a while now.

Chris Jungle watches them stick the needle in.