Since Everything Has to Come in Threes...

...here's one last video about cancer. Moreover, it's kind of a counterargument against some of the others pointing out that, despite all the scary headlines and instructions like "test your poo," most of us don't really need to worry. 

Well, I need to worry, but most people reading this probably don't. 

But before I get to the video, having spent a fair amount of time searching YouTube for cancer videos, I'd like to first post a quick open letter...

Dear Songwriters,

While I appreciate all of your efforts -- truly, I do -- I have a few small constructive criticisms that you may want to bear in mind for your future efforts in cancer-related songwriting: 

1. Please, no more songs about angels, butterflies, phoenixes, or really anything that flies. If the patient is flying, it's fair to say the treatment didn't work -- unless, of course, they're on a jet headed for Barbados to celebrate their successful treatment, but that's a different sort of song.

2. Please also, no more plodding introductions played in a minor key, especially on piano backed by strings. Depressing the patient so much they kill themselves is not, actually, a preferable alternative to whatever they might be dealing with as a cancer patient.

3. Not to be the bearer of bad news, but as nice as hope and love may be, they're not really substitutes for treatment. Emoting is good, but let's not go overboard.

4. While songwriting is a fairly rare, and potentially valuable skill, I feel the need to remind you that ownership of a rhyming dictionary and knowledge of a few chord progressions doesn't really give you a direct line to the heavens. So let's perhaps try to avoid trying to explain why this is happening or what God wants or similar claims to knowledge you can't possibly have.

5. Finally, please don't go overboard on the remembrance. I agree that it is sad when people die. And most of us do want to be remembered. But not forever, and not obsessively. Death is the unavoidable consequence of life; you don't get the one without the other. And given that fact, it's a pretty happy coincidence that humans are pretty much programmed to move on. Embrace that programming, 'cause the inability to do so isn't romantic or caring; it's dysfunctional. Just sayin'. 

For what it's worth...

And now for my last cancer video -- at least for the time being: