California Dreamin'...Part One

On such a winter's day...

Over February break I went to California (my 31st state) and I have to say from the very deepest recesses of my upstate NY frame of mind----I don't know why I came back to yucky winter here. Ha ha!

Most of you who read this know there are things on my bucket list--(the one I created in 2006 upon my second cancer diagnosis)-- that I've slowly been checking off. This time it was visiting California, which I'd only ever experienced from a stop over at the LAX airport on the way to Hawaii (lame!).

Back in the fall my friend Kevin called me and happened to say "hey, why don't you come visit?" and it was impetus to actually consider. Kevin lives outside Los Angeles in Playa del Ray, right on the beach practically! Kevin has the life, seriously. Okay now I get it...now I get why one might put up with smog and earthquakes and traffic jams. We will not mention what the psychic said, Kevin.

My first full day there (mind you without any of my luggage--ha ha!) I went out to breakfast with Cutter and Butter while I waited for my friend Val to come. Yes, I am serious Cutter and Butter. :) Butter is Kevins roommate, Cutter is their friend. We had awesome omlettes at this diner nearby...Good times!

Then Val and I went cruising all around L.A. and she showed me all the touristy sites of course in Hollywood. But we actually got to a scenic overlook where you can see all of Los Angeles and of course the Hollywood sign...which you might be able pick out ever so slightly from the picture of Val and I. We had some interesting adventures along the Walk of Fame as evidenced by the rather strange looking leather clad hello kitty studs.

What a time! That night (Saturday) we had dinner in the Valley at Kevin's friend Butch's house. Yummy! And to my surprise, I was tricked into eating Brussell Sprouts which I actually loved! My mom would be so happy to hear this--I ate Brusssell Sprouts! Kevin is a sly culinary whiz...nice work!

The next day was the surprise brunch. I love surprises as anyone can attest that knows me...When Kevin told me to bring my coat I was pretty sure the brunch would be outside. Butch, Butter, Kevin and I stepped aboard the Hornblower for a brunch cruise in Marina del Ray!

Fun! The other surprise was that the guys had told the staff of Hornblower that is was my birthday...so as I swilled down the never-ending champagne I celebrated my special day...ha ha.
What a fun afternoon!

Some other highlights of the time in L.A included a little karaoke...who would have guessed, huh? There was also a visit to speak to the class Kevin teaches at Loyola Marymount University, and of course the thing Side Order of Life fans might appreciate, dinner with Diana Maria Riva and her husband, Mike.
Kevin and I met this awesome couple out in Hollywood for a fabulous meal I will never forget.

More than a year ago when the effort was launched to save Side Order...and I was telling all of you to send menus I certainly never imagined in my wildest dreams that I'd meet the woman who played Vivy. Diana's raw and honest portrayal of Vivy made those of us who are cancer survivors proud on so many levels. Vivy was strong, she was real and she was a real person who just faced a challenge with her own blend of humor and vitality.

Well Diana is just as vivacious, just as fun...and so is her husband Mike. I am so glad to have finally thanked her in person for all that she brought to our lives (as survivors) for that one phenomenal season. If Hollywood has any sense at all...her next project is going to take off like gangbusters. Not only is she a phenomenal actress...but a truly warm and genuine person.

I would say Los Angeles was a pretty amazing time!

Most unbelievable phone call...

I haven't given this little secret away for fear that if it didn't happen I'd end up feeling way silly and who would believe this anyway? It's totally unbelievable. All I can say is... who knew that a little idea like sending menus and writing letters and just caring about a show would somehow reverberate into something greater.

This morning I am not believing this really happened so I'm just pinching myself. Ouch!
But it did... last night I got a call from Hollywood. The cast of Side Order of Life! Nope check the date...this is not an April Fool blog post. Last night as they gathered for a cast party (sadly, a sort of goodbye party)they called me!
Holy canoli!

Each cast member spoke with me for a few minutes each and thanked me for what I did to try to save their show. Since I've known about this for a few days, I had to have a witness there-- otherwise anyone hearing me recount this story might think I was loony bin certifiable. My sister Mary and her roommate Natalie were sitting next to me as I clicked my speaker phone on. As Jason Priestley came on both my sister and I could barely suspend our screaming.
If you grow up in an age of 9021o, you just can't put that teen idol scream fest away.
I spoke with Diana Maria Riva, Marisa Coughlan and Christopher Gartin, Lisa Waltz...and of course Margaret Nagle, the creator of the show. Margaret Nagle is the woman who brought this beautiful project together. It is her brainchild that has inspired the devotion of not just me but countless thousands of admirers. Her robust laughter echoed through the phone as I told her " I can't believe this...I can't believe I'm talking to you". I was enchanted.

Hearing them all was incredible, but of course...it is Diana Maria Riva, whose Vivy has moved me beyond words with her performance, that I feel is like my ol' pal. Not only does this actress need an Emmy yesterday, but through subsequent emails I have learned the woman who portrays her is just as warm and wonderful a person as she can be. No one aloof among this Hollywood set...a group of consumate professionals that are also genuinely caring and gracious people.

It absolutely amazed me that in the midst of their celebration they would take time to reach out to me and thank me. I was star struck and like a little kid on Christmas as I spoke with each one of them. Those characters and that beautifully crafted story is so much more than the average "Hollywood creation". Behind the characters and the show is an ensemble that is truly one of a kind. They realized that this show was speaking out to something truly meaningful. Though the fight to save the show was lost (because of blindingly ignorant tv execs) the cast of Side Order did not forget what was important...what really mattered about this show, the audience.

It might be said that television, a medium that has faced the absolute indignity of reality programming, viewer apathy and all around senseless degradation...perhaps has some redeeming value the Nielsens can't calculate. When you look at a cast like that...people who were bonded by a project that really meant something, an audience they cared about...you can not tell me that there isn't hope for television. The problem is---it's those higher ups making those unpardonable decsions that we need to hold up for condemnation, because without their belief quality can not be fostered.

The truth is this story spoke out to an ordinary person..living a very unglamourous life.
Somehow in a surreal way the real people behind the characters she grew to love included her from 2,600 miles away as a "long-distance guest" at their Hollywood party.

Shameful Lifetime Television misses boat---ticks off cancer survivors!

I want you to imagine for a moment what quality in television is?

The writer's strike opened all of our eyes. Many people surmised it brought about a revelation.
Maybe after years of network execs slinging quick concept/lower budget reality fare and cookie cutter crap-ola we just all stopped caring about what was on our tv screens.
Maybe there just wasn't any more ground-breaking or history making to do. They were wrong. And more over, Lifetime Television was so missing the boat on this they made the misstep of the decade.
A mere hours after it was announced that SIDE ORDER OF LIFE had won best series honors from the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences...
http://www.emmys.tv/media/releases/2008/rel-acadhon.php
Lifetime Television cancelled the series.

Yes, you read that correct. Lifetime cancelled it.
Great reward, huh for a program that brought a level of socially responsible and artistic excellence to American homes? Great little message to a production, team, cast, crew and dedicated team who sought to entertain and educate?

And last but not least...the message that reads loud and clear is the one that it sent to cancer survivors. Last week Lifetime said essentially "Guess what, we don't think anyone wants to see a show heavily focusing on a cancer storyline."

WRONG WRONG WRONG...on all counts, Lifetime!
Their attempt to quietly slip this cancellation under the radar so as not to cause the major wrath of us who loved the show is an absolute slap in the face. It's time to not sit quietly. If I'm the only one waging this fight so be it---but I don't believe that I am. There are many of us out there who have a reason to care.

If you care and you think this decision was wrong....Call today. Tell Lifetime how you feel.
212-424-7000

Send menus to Lifetime!

I never thought I would be a fan, as in fanatic. You know those neurotic people who totally go bonkers for something. Well, I have and I do not apologize. With some winter hibernating working overtime and lack of dating prospects being true impetus I had some free time to start waging a campaign to save Side Order of Life. You regular readers know how I feel.

Anyway, inspired by Jericho viewers who sent CBS thousands of pounds of peanuts in an effort to save their show (it worked!) I have an idea. If you are reading this and you are even remotely moved by the message in Side Order of Life- showing a cancer survivors journey honestly, humourously and with heart- then pehaps you'll join me on this crusade.

SEND YOUR TAKE-OUT menus, PILFERED menus, COMPUTER PRINTED menus, home-made menus to the folks at Lifetime. Tell them you "want Side Order of Life back on the menu!"
To your right you will see the homemade menu I made in just a few minutes with some left-over scrapbooking supplies. Inside is a letter and pictures explaining why I was personally touched by Vivy's story. But you don't have to get as crafty as I did...if the Chinese food place keeps stuffing menus in your mailbox---here is your most meaningful solution.

PLEASE JOIN ME in sending your own menu, wherever it comes from,---just a menu. We need to send a message and send it fast!

LIFETIME ENTERTAINMENT
c/O ANDREA WONG
World Wide Plaza
309 West 49th Street
New York, N.Y. 10019

Lifetime Television needs to listen

There has been a major campaign by cancer warriors to try and save Lifetime Television's Side Order of Life. Somehow despite the numerous internet postings, the swell of heartfelt support, the unprecedented buzz, empassioned letters, emails, blogs, comments, phone calls and all out outcry...

Lifetime has not moved to renew...yet.

But no one is giving up.

Especially not Diana Maria Riva, the actress who plays Vivy, cancer survivor extrodinaire and Margaret Nagle, creator of the show. To date I have received emails from both of them and they continue to fight hard because they know how much this show means to cancer survivors like me.

If you are a cancer survivor, a friend or family member of one and you believe that the media should start portraying the journey responsibly...you have a personal stake in this.

Let's speak out against mindless reality tv and tell the world we don't accept heroes in the form of Paris Hilton or Britney Spears. We need real and heartfelt characters on quality and well written shows.

Even if you have not seen Side Order of Life...take a moment and call Lifetime today. It is our absolute right as to demand that quality and conviction return to television.

Sitting back without speaking is the same as apathy. CALL LIFETIME AT 212-424-7000

SAVE VIVY! but I'm off strike.

I might have enacted a strike in haste.
Number 1- One blogger on strike does not really have an effect. And I had no picket sign.

People just stopped reading my page. Heh heh
Much like the writer's strike, huh? Don't get me wrong, I absolutely support what the writer's are asking for. Without these talented writers how would we ever get the creativity and level of entertainment we have? It would be all reality all the time, basically.

However maybe some people are turning to alternative sources of entertainment. Maybe youtube is getting an influx of people watching things labelled grandma plays laser tag or squirrels gone wild. As an aside, do you ever get an idea in your head and think it's the most revolutionary idea EVER. Then you find someone else has thought of it. I thought squirrels gone wild would be a great name for a spoof...it is taken. If you feel like testing my theory there are about a gazillion so-titled videos.

Number 2- I don't know how to strike and I think I might have caused a backlash.

Pre-strike I was getting hits from as far as Japan, Germany and all of over. Now I get 2 hits a day. By the way Thanks Mom and Dad.

But I have to share with you that someone from Sandwich Massachusetts is reading this. What a cool name for a town. I really hope you do community-tie in activities out there and fun with this. Do you do host themed eating events? Gosh I hope so.

I would like to give you a shout out and if you give this a visit again...I implore you to throw me an email and just comment on here. Tell everyone what life is like in Sandwich. A little google investigation led me to the fact that Sandwich is just outside Cape Cod.

Hey, this could be better than having a third grade pen pal or maybe even a crazy prision boyfriend. Okay maybe not the latter.

EPILOGUE:

PLEASE CONTINUE YOUR EFFORTS TO SAVE VIVY and the show SIDE ORDER OF LIFE.

The actress who plays Vivy, Diana Maria Riva even sent me an email thanking me for the support. If you are on facebook join the Save Vivy group. Myspace? Friend Vivy Porter.

This is the time to let Liftetime know. If you haven't seen Side Order, tell them you'd like a chance to see it because you've heard through the grapevine that you should be watching it.

Please follow this link to LIFETIME TV's comment board, register yourself and type in on the comment board. It doesn't have to be complex. SAVE VIVY will even suffice. http://www.mylifetime.com/on-tv/shows/side-order-life

I'm on strike, okay more like hiatus

I don't think anyone reads these posts...besides a few college friends...but this writers strike is really making me frustrated. So I have decided to do a mini strike...I will not post on here until I hear news (hopefully good) about the renewal of Side Order of Life.
Please leave your commments of support for Side Order on the Lifetime tv web page.
Realistically, I guess I am just talking to my college friends and so Carol, Deidre, Jill, Deidre...get on this. This show is fantastic!
Please read post below to see why I care.
SAVE VIVY!