Do you know a local firefighter? If so, please let me know. I’d love to interview him or her for a project I’m working on about our local firehouses and the cooking that goes on in them.

I’m disappointed that President Obama received the Nobel Peace prize. It’s not because I have anything against him personally, but because he’d only been in office 2 weeks when the voting was done. So obviously the committee isn’t basing it upon actual actions creating peace, but rather political factors.

A few years ago Al Gore got the award over another nominee who was a woman who saved hundreds of babies from Nazi Germany by risking her life to sneak them out of the country. Again, it seems political.

So, my mom and I decided today we’ll start the Liguori Peace Prize and award people who actually do extraordinary things. Of course, our award will be small and humble in comparison… but it will make us feel better. 

I cannot believe it’s already October. I’m thinking about Halloween costumes. I think it would be funny to wear a Rasta wig and a white straight jacket and be “Jamaican me Crazy.” But it doesn’t fit my requirement of letting me be sparkly.

When I was donating blood the other day I learned something interesting. They never give someone “whole blood” from another person. Once you donate it’s separated into its components: red blood cells, platelets and plasma. Certain medical conditions require each.

What blood components do for people

• Red blood cells carry oxygen to all parts of the body and are used to treat people who have anemia, low red blood cell counts, or those who have lost blood through injury, surgery, or organ transplantation. Red blood cells contain hemoglobin, the protein that carries oxygen.
• White blood cells help the body fight infections and diseases. White blood cells play a role in the immune process by protecting against the invasion of foreign substances, such as bacteria, fungi, and viruses.
• Platelets are critical for clotting and helping to control bleeding. Platelet transfusions are commonly used for people with some types of cancer, such as leukemia, undergoing chemotherapy treatment and bone marrow transplantation. This is because many chemotherapy treatments damage the bone marrow, causing the number of platelets in the blood to fall to levels where bleeding can occur. Platelets are given to reduce the risk of bleeding.
• Plasma is the clear, straw-colored liquid portion of the blood that, similar to platelets, contains clotting factors needed to help control bleeding. Plasma also contains vital proteins used for people who are critically ill who have sustained significant blood loss and for people who have undergone organ transplantation. Plasma also helps maintain blood pressure and balances levels of sodium and potassium.