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I Went In Thinking “50/50″ I’d Be Depressed; I Came Out 100% EXCITED!

21 Oct

(Source: Amazon)

I wanted to watch “50/50” (2011) because I like Joseph Gordon-Levitt, mostly because he looked so hot as Arthur in “Inception” (2010). I also wanted to watch this film because I wanted to do some minor research on a potential article I will write in the near future (more on that later).

Joseph Gordon-Levitt as "Arthur" in "Inception" (Source: The Guardian)

Anyways, I watched it with a good friend after work today.

I walked into the theater with bunches of tissues and a mini-bag of touch-up, just in case, you know. RottenTomatoes.com had rated it 93% and I had heard from some friends that they (macho men) teared during some of the scenes. Hence, with tissues and make-up in hand, I prepared myself for the depressing movie in front of me.

What happened surprised the HELL out of me… but let me back track.

The movie, in short (because you can read the long synopsis on RT or IMDB), is that this 27-year-old dude named Adam is diagnosed with some crazily long-syllabled spinal cancer and his chances of living is 50/50 (duh!). He goes through the motions of dealing with the shock, living his life as normally as possible and preparing for what could be his last breath.

The story unfolds to show a typical 27-year-old boy’s life: a mediocre job, a selfish girlfriend, a hilarious best friend who wants to get laid all the time, an over-protective mom and a “hands-off” dad.

Yet, what really moved me was the sentiment behind all the humor. Every time the audience (or, in this case, me) was about to tear, a character, usually Seth Rogen, would crack a joke. Don’t get me wrong, it was done beautifully. The jokes didn’t downplay the tragedy of the situation; instead, it reminded the audience the other side of 50/50.

Yes, Adam has 50% chance of dying from cancer…. but that also means he has 50% chance to live… to really live his life… and that’s what the audience, especially me, came out of the movie with.

The movie isn’t about the difficult experience of having cancer, or of being shocked to reality, or using humor in the face of tragedy. The movie was about LIFE… about the ephemeralness of life, the preciousness of life, and the delicateness of life…

I came out of that movie more empowered and inspired than ever. Yes, I am a bit of a hypochondriac and will probably WebMD any symptoms I feel tonight, but in all seriousness, I came out of that EXCITED about life.

If it’s not because it’s 1:51AM over here, I would be running around the street, expressing my excitement for the things I will not settle for… for the future moments I will cherish… for the friends and family I will shower with love… and for the things I will do that truly make me happy.

So, my avid readers: STOP worrying about work, STOP obsessing over that guy who didn’t text you back, STOP wondering when the right girl will come into your life, STOP hoping to be recognized, STOP ALL THAT and DO WHAT MAKES YOU HAPPY.

You have only 1 life to live…

So why wouldn’t you live it to the fullest?

The B1 “Hangover” Patch: Ghettoist Commercical I’ve Seen Yet

27 Feb

I’m watching one of my favorite shows “Leverage” and guess what I see as one of the commercials:  the B1 Patch—the patch that cures hangovers. Don’t get me wrong, if the patch works, that’s fantastic!  I know many people (including myself) that could benefit from it, but the commercial is so ghetto!  I thought it was a joke… like someone would come out at the end of the commercial and say “WE GOT CHA!”  But no…  They were serious…

I mean, LOOK AT THE HORRIBLE ACTING!  What is this, a “Jersey Shore” rendition?  And these girls don’t look “comfortable” in front of the camera… and, by “comfortable”, I mean “classy”.  Okay, I know bars and hangovers are usually set in a less modest setting, but either make it like the “My New Haircut” video (fantastic, by the way!) or one of those Miller or Bud beer commercials. This was neither.  I cringed several times when watching it.  I didn’t know whether to laugh at its ridiculousness or cry from wasting my time finishing it.

Nonetheless, I can’t just criticize the ad without doing some background check first… So, here are some info from their site:

Here is how it works:

The specially-formulated B1 patch effectively replenishes the vital Thiamine lost when you consume alcohol. By enhancing and restoring your body’s natural defense system, B1 reduces the physical side effects of drinking.

AKA, with more Thiamine in your system, it’ll help you breakdown alcohol more readily, which also means that if you just take Vitamin B1 pills on your own, you’d probably save money as well as get the same effect…

Directions:
Simply apply this patch to your skin. The B1 patch will not stop you from feeling intoxicated, or buzzed. But it will dramatically reduce negative physical side effects from consuming alcohol. You will absolutely notice fewer symptoms after drinking when you use the patch.

Of course, I also went Googling.  I couldn’t find anything medically related, like FDA approval or doctor recommended.  Perhaps, this patch is so insignificant that FDA doesn’t care…  I’m not sure how the FDA works, so I won’t comment on the legitimacy or healthiness of this patch.  Anyways, I did find two funny sites relating to “miracle” hangover cure:

If anyone tried this B1 patch, or knows of anyone who tried it, please let me know!  I’d love to hear whether it’s a true success or just another BS scheme.

•The New Reality Drama to Watch: “Millionaire Matchmaker”

4 Feb

BravoTV - Tues 10/9c

After the ending of Jersey Shore, I needed a new reality TV series to distract me from my drama-less life.  While surfing channels, I came upon Millionaire Matchmaker.  I’ve heard of this show before.  It’s about Patti, the reknowned matchmaker in LA, syncing millionaires up with potential dates.  Most of these millionaires are well-off, but socially awkward.  Par exemple, a child-star truly believed he was the sh1t of LA.  He dressed like an old man and had the personality of cement—hard and uncomfortable.  Well, Patty saw right away that this guy would run into a big problem when meeting women because he was condescending and too d-baggy.  (She was right!)  At the end, he couldn’t handle the wild, crazy, and amateur-porn-star-ish girl Patti set him up with.

However, all those episodes did not attract me to the show.  What caught my attention was the ridiculous drama between Patti and one of her clients, Shauna.  Shauna is a millionairess who is a cougar (aka, she prefers young beautiful men in their twenties than someone her own age).  Eventually, she realized that the young men would leave her after dating her for some time, so she went back to Patti to find “true love”.  In last night’s new episode, she agreed to go on a date with someone older than herself.  She’s 47… and the man Patti set her up with was 51… a very good looking, muscular and tall man.  She knew exactly what he looked like, but as soon as they’re about to go on their first date, she FLIPS OUT, running like a monkey back to her suite and crying in outrage that she couldn’t believe Patti set her up with “a man that could be my grandfather.”  Well, honey, you are not that young yourself!

Shauna Melts Down

Notice, to the right, a picture of Shauna.  Now, you might think her eyes have grown to size of plums and are shooting darts at the camera because she is mad at Patti and her failed-to-launch date… but, she’s not.  Her eyes are like that in every single shot because she is plastic-surgeried out!  She constantly look stunned, regardless of her true feelings.  For example, when she had her meltdown, her pissed-off angry face looked exactly like the horny face she had on when she saw a 20-something hottie take off his clothes…

Speaking of plastic surgeries, 23-year-old Heidi Montag of The Hills, recently got 10 procedures in one sitting and “almost died” in the process.  She now looks 30+ years old.  No joke.  (More details here .)

Anyways, this show is HILARIOUS~!  So, go watch!  Every Tues, 10/9c on Bravo!

•A/H1N1 (Swine Flu) Continues to Haunt the Back of Our Minds

23 Dec

Not to frighten anyone, but WSJ published a great map of the United States showing where various strains of the flu and A/H1N1 reside.  A/H1N1, originally called “Swine Flu” and then renamed to “H1N1″ is officially AH1N1 or A/H1N1 or A (H1N1).

In the fall months of 2009, there have been more outbreaks of the A/H1N1 virus.  Since flu season is usually around this time, it is going to be more difficult to determine a seasonal flu virus from the A/H1N1 virus.  So, please be sure to take care of yourselves!

For those living in New York, the NYC Department of Health has expanded its recommendation to provide the H1N1 flu vaccine to anyone aged four years and older regardless of their health status or occupation, so go get your vaccinations!  For New Yorker vaccination locations, click here.

Nationwide:

New York / New Jersey:

Region 8:  Worst A/H1N1 outbreak appeared in the fall season of 2009, in particularly in “Region 8″, which includes Connecticut, Montana, N. Dakota, S. Dakota, Utah and Wyoming.

For more elated posts:

•Fight the Flu This Holiday Season: 3 natural ways to boost immune system

25 Nov

With the winter months coming faster, more and more people are prone to get colds, allergies and flu-like symptoms.  So here are ways to boost up your immune system without popping pills!

1.  Eat lots of nutritious foods high in Vitamin A like colorful fruits and veggies as well as zinc, found in seafood, nuts and whole grains.  Yes, it’s the holiday season and there will be plenty of amazing dishes set on the table, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t help your immune system by eating just a few extra fruits, veggies, seafood and grains! (For more detail.) 

2.  Layer and dress warmly!  Simple as it sounds, not a lot of people follow that critical “Mom rule”… Either because of fashion or laziness, people end up going through the winter months with nothing but a sweater and jeans.  Unfortunately, that doesn’t work!  Without warmth, the body will be susceptible to viruses and other seasonal destroyers.

3.  Keeping up with hygiene.  I know the winter months are tough to get your cleaning mode on; however, this period is the most critical.  With everyone sneezing and coughing around you, be sure to wash your hands regularly.  At home, keep the countertops as dust-free as possible, especially since winter is dry season and dust bunnies come out of hiding.

That being said don’t forget to get your seasonal flu vaccination as well as H1N1 vaccination if eligible!  Click here for H1N1 vaccination locations in New York.

Criteria for eligibility for H1N1 vaccination:

  • Pregnant women
  • Anyone 4 through 24 years old
  • People 25 through 64 with health conditions that make flu more dangerous. These include asthma, diabetes, chronic heart and lung conditions, kidney failure, or a weakened immune system.
  • Anyone who lives with or cares for children less than 6 months old
  • Health care workers who have direct contact with patients and cannot receive vaccine through their employers
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