September 2, 2009
posted by Nk. at 1:15 PM
"I have cancer."It's one of the last things you'd want to hear from somebody you love. Sure they can say abominable stuff like "I'm pregnant and I'm not sure who the father is but it could be that shady character from last night". Or "I just lost my job because my boss caught me watching porn in the office". Or "I pooped and it wouldn't flush!1!!"
But not "I have cancer".
We always think that the sad stuff we see in movies and soap operas would never happen to us and the people close to us. We live in a world filled with everyday worries-- trivial matters, come to think of it -- that it would never occur to us that tragedy would hit. We live our lives thinking that somehow the love we shower to those close to us and the love showered to us by those who love us are enough to shield us from the truly terrible side of life.
But as it turns out, the universe always has a different plan. One that's always, always shockingly different from our own.
I'm writing this blog for one of my most favorite people in the world who was diagnosed with cancer and is celebrating her birthday today. When our dear friend Anna told us she had neuroendoctrine tumor, a type of cancer, several weeks ago we could only stare blankly at her in disbelief and shock, as if she've begun speaking in some alien language our minds couldn't decipher. It was as if the universe was just playing a not so funny joke on us. We looked at the universe incredulously with "YOU'VE GOTTA BE KIDDING" expressions on our faces, willing ourselves to laugh. I mean, how could it be? Anna is one of the most awesome people on earth! She can make you laugh when all you want to do is slash your wrists! She can outdrink everyone (without acting like a doofus unlike some other people out there)! She throws the best parties! And she can make the most awesome pasta in the world and bake the most amazing cheesebars and brownies in the world! Cancer doesn't happen to awesome people!
But it does. And it did, to Anna. And now she's fighting the fight of her life. And having no power to convince or charm the universe to just take the cancer away or just transfer it to some evil politician who's less deserving of earthly space than she is, we'd like to help Anna WIN this battle in our own little way: we're selling ballers with the words "i cancervive" embossed in them. For just P100.00 you can help us help Anna WIN THIS BATTLE. All proceeds will go to her chemotherapy (which she'll undergo every 21 days) and other medical expenses.
For orders (or if you're more generous, pledges -- bless you, bless you!) please email Mitch at rmitchel_26@yahoo.com or get in touch with her via YM (mitchcanimo). You can also reach us at 09212654877.
For you guys with the more generous hearts:
Account name: Kristine Anne Alvarez
Account number: 131-106391-3
I'm sure that the universe will find a way to repay all of your kindness (like a date with that hottie you've been eyeing for years now?)
Help us help Anna win against cancer. Wear the icancervive baller. Be part of TEAM ANNA, FTW!!
P.S.
Labels: advocacies, cancer, do something nice for the planet, icancervive, team anna
August 21, 2008
posted by Nk. at 7:20 AM
On the suggestion of my friend Art I watched Adam Sandler's latest flick, You Don't Mess With The Zohan, the other night. Before I say what I think about the movie let me first get it out of the way that I'm no Adam Sandler fan, the only movie of his that I'm genuinely fond of is 50 First Dates (and that's also mainly because Drew Barrymore is such an adorable). The reason I watched You Don't Mess With The Zohan was to check out whether our girl Mariah Carey indeed had a cameo in the film, and lots of appearances on Zohan's shirts. Oh yeah, boo, I know Mariah's a total ditz in the acting department (her performance, like in that movie Glitter -- yes, there was such a movie -- was just about as exciting as picking dirt from my toenails) but I still love her long time and have all her songs in my mp3 list. So sue me. But Mariah honey, please stick to singing yes?Don't Mess With The Zohan was a chuckler -- it wasn't as funny or as enjoyable a comedy as one might expect a plot of an Israeli commando having the secret wish to be a hairdresser. Sure Adam Sandler did a lot of flashing in the movie, there was the smattering of politically incorrect humor (which is fine but it didn't quite work here), and Zohan's humping the geriatrics but overall I found You Don't Mess With The Zohan boring and quite forgettable. So unless you're big on Adam Sandler or just want to see how he carries on with a Mariah Carey shirt well, don't mess with this movie. It's not even half as funny as its poster.
Meanwhile, on the local front, I hear from Helga that tadaaa, our local showbiz is attempting "our" version of that hit TV series Gossip Girl (which I haven't gotten around to watching yet). Is anyone surprised? No? Truth be told people, we may have this paralyzing fear that if we so much as think of thinking of something original our brains will implode. That's how hard it is, so we Filipino citizens, should make do with remakes -- Marimar, Dyesebel (sure Marian Rivera's pretty but her acting skills? Oh I forgot, we're talking about escapist TV here. Right.), Panday (remember this one? It was okay in the beginning but went pffft somewhere in the middle and completely died a natural death in the end), My Girl (my friend Amber went hopping mad about the ABS-CBN people butchering our favorite Koreanovela), and so on (sa dami ng ni-remake I can't remember anymore) and counting (because there are more remakes getting planned, as we speak, that's for sure). This isn't to say that all remakes are bad or to say that all production people are stupids, but haven't we had enough of remakes and spin offs already?
Now I've heard a lot of people raving about the Gabby Concepcion comeback soap opera Iisa Pa Lamang (did I get that title right) being a great remake. So far I've only managed to catch one episode and well, what can I say, Claudine Baretto and Angelica Panganiban are two of the better actresses their generation out there. And Gabby? I can understand why uh, Sharon and half the female population in the country went berserk for this guy in the 80's but I wanted to snap snap my fingers to his face while he was reciting his lines in that particular episode. What's up with the wooden acting, man? But then again, maybe he just wasn't feeling it that time huh. These actors, they're only hoomans too, right? Riiiiight.
So that's Philippine TV for you these days. Nothing new.
***
You guys remember sitcom Abangan Ang Susunod Na Kabanata? That was a gas! Also that talk show with Jessica Zafra, Mo Twister, Cher Calvin, and my crush daddy Teddy Boy Locsin, Jr.? (Okay, that wasn't a sitcom or series I just had to mention that because 1. I'm a fan of Ms. Zafra, 2. I schoolgirl crush Teddy Boy, and 3. I liked that show.) Remember that ABS-CBN series which starred Robin Padilla and Judy Ann Santos? I thought it was a good enough attempt to veer away from the usual nawawalang tagapagmana fairy tales we have. Sure it was no CSI (they're having Laurence Fishburne in the next season!) but at last that one didn't just go aiming for our tear ducts. So come on Philippine TV people, give us something new! (speaking of new, that Sarah Geronimo-John Lloyd Cruz starrer, A Very Special Love, was a cute movie. Was actually surprised that I enjoyed it -- except for Sarah's ugly wig and what's with the movie song title these days?? Geez.)
So how about a collaboration with either Taiwan or Korea, since we're pretty much crazy about their telenovelas? If you guys are running out of ideas my friend Amber has a fantastic idea for a storyline. Darn, I have ideas! Give us something to talk -- no, to rave about. Surprise us. Bewilder us. Play with our heads. Overwhelm us with emotion. Tickle us good. Challenge our beliefs. Make us think twice. Excite us!
How about you guys, what would you like to see on Philippine TV (or movie)?
Labels: advocacies, fangirl posts, film review, Gossip Girl, lucid intervals, Mariah Carey, Philippine TV, showbiz, You Don't Mess With The Zohan
June 17, 2008
posted by Nk. at 12:36 PM
* WARNING: Long entry aheadWow. I haven't touched this blog in ages. What can I do, I'm swamped with work at the office lately so much so that I can barely remember to comb my hair or go to the loo.
Anyway. The most I can do is this little summary of What Happened (And Failed To Happen) In My Life In The Past Few Days:
Saturday:
I expected an outing with my old friends from Legazpi but for some reason that involved one of them just joking that he was here but really wasn't (I'm looking atchu, Cyril), I ended up downing glass after glass of grenadine-laced Red Horse with my spur-of-the-moment weekend gal pal Ghetti, her boyfriend Eric, and my BFF Edri at W Grill Makati instead. Now I don't like drinking Red Horse because it tastes awful, but this time Ghetti's little discovery tasted real nice, and I didn't mind drinking it along with my strawberry margarita at all. And it was the first time in months that I got to get out again so yeah, fcuk it and drink I did.
So.
After W-Grill Edri and I found ourselves heading to Jo and Cata's place in Antipolo -- where after another round of Red Horse (which, thanks to my already malfunctioning taste buds, I couldn't taste anymore) -- my good old friends managed to ask me the Profound Question Resulting From Outrageous Alcohol Intake Of The Week.
Cata and Edri, on my dating dilemmas: "Eh ano naman kung ma-inlove ka??" (So what if you fell in love??)
Great. Good to know I have supportive friends all too willing to push me off the cliff, rite. Good to know.
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Sunday:
Woke up in Antipolo, and ended the day eating like there's no tomorrow at Mr. Kabab in West Ave. And oh yeah, watched My Sassy Girl at home before going off to sleep. Totally loved it.
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Monday:
Went on a solitary mall expedition -- something I totally forgot that I really enjoy doing because most of the time lately I went with people (who ended up spoiling the experience by doing either of two things: 1. complaining and 2. complaining more.) While eating lunch at good old McDonald's I kept getting distracted by the soundtracky background music they had -- the type you'd hear when getting in an adventure ride in Disneyland. I half expected gazelles to leap out my chicken McDo meal. Or something. Weird. But I liked it. Sometimes a distraction is all you need.
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Tuesday:
Back to work, was a not a bad day because somebody said my name so cutely that I heard the double "k's". Does that make sense? No? Good, because you're not supposed to get it, lol.
Well it was good, until later when we took our rabbits to the vet and discovered that the awful scaly thing causing Pepper's coat, nose and ears to shed was scabies. Very bad news, yes. But the real bad news is having the owner of the pet actually considering just leaving the animal for dead because oh well, she can just replace it with a new one, just in case. You can just imagine how upset this made me feel -- I had to resist the urge to punch something in the face.
And because I clearly heard the vet saying that it was treatable, I decided to have both Pepper, and my pet rabbit Sugar (who now has caught the disease too) treated even if it could mean starving until the next payday. (Yeah yeah you're entitled to your opinion but just so you know, I don't respect it. Get it? Good. Here, get yourself some education.)
People who think that it's okay to just let a pet die because it's replaceable ANYWAY should never get pets in the first place. Pets are not toys, and caring for them involves getting them treatment when they're sick (something that should occur to anyone before getting themselves that oh my gooossshhh it's sssooo cuuuuute animal). It's not just all about having a cute dog to walk around for the world to go ooohhh and aaaawwww at. If you can't handle the responsibility and commit to it just go get yourself some pet stuffed toy instead. At least that one's already dead (was never alive, in fact).
I'll make a good vet I know. I'll be the good vet that stabs you in the eye with a syringe if you make any stupid suggestions, like leaving a pet for dead. Lucky world I'm not.
That's Situation Normal: All Fcked Up, for you.
Labels: advocacies, anger mismanagement, animal rights, pets, snafu, tunnel visions, your weekend wanderer






