Superstar Nora Aunor leads well-wishers at John Rendez’s surprise birthday party

John on life beginning at 40: “When you think that you’ve learned something, you forget all about it.”

Nag-celebrate ng kanyang 42nd birthday ang rap artist-composer na si John Rendez. Pabirong wish niya sa kanyang birthday: “Ang wish ko, yeah… I want a motorcycle, and a pink pony and lots of presents… and a pretty dress!”

Pinangunahan ni Superstar Nora Aunor ang “surprise” birthday party na inihanda niya para sa kaibigang rap artist-composer na si John Rendez kahapon, January 6.

Ginanap ang party para kay John sa Alfredo’s Steak House, Quezon City, na dinaluhan nina German “Kuya Germs” Moreno, Alfie Lorenzo, Nora’s personal manager Boy Palma, talent manager and radio host-columnist Jobert Sucaldito and protégé Michael Pangilinan.

Nandoon din ang mag-anak nina Matet at Mickey Estrada and daughters Mikka and Mishka at ilang press friends

Dumalo rin ang teen daughter ni John na si Annacain at ang Filipino mother ni John na si Leah Porter.

Panay ang biro ni John nang makausap ng PEP.ph (Philippine Entertainment Portal) na akala niya ay magdi-dinner lang sila ng mga kaibigan.

Yun pala, kasunod na nila si Ate Guy at may naka-reserve ng ilang mesa sa paboritong restaurant ng Fil-Am actor at rap artist.

“Oo, akala ko by this time, I’ll be in Macau [China]. That’s just a wish,” biro pa niya.

BIRTHDAY WISH. Ano nga ba ang particular wish ni John?

“Ang wish ko, yeah… I want a motorcycle, and a pink pony and lots of presents… and a pretty dress!” pagbibiro pa niya.

Naging seryoso rin naman si John sa kanyang mga sagot nang kumustahin ng PEP ang nagdaang New Year niya.

Aniya, “It’s okay. We’re just relaxing [while] waiting for the hectic [schedules] ahead.

“Kasi, sabi nga nila, hindi pa nga ako nagpu-promote ng album, e, bumebenta naman.

“And it makes me very happy!”

PolyEast Records ang distributor ng bagong self-titled CD album na John Rendez/Metaldog There Can Only Be One.

Nai-launch ito late last year pero hindi pa nai-promote nang tuluy-tuloy nang magsimula ang holiday season dahil mas in demand ang mga kantang pamasko.

Kuwento ni John, “Eighty percent sure ako na hindi alam ng mga tao kung sino yung John Rendez na ‘yan.

“Basta alam nila, siguro… basta, artist…

“Iyon [din] ang gusto kong mangyari.”

GOOD YEAR. Ayon din kay John, maganda ang 2012 para sa kanya.

“It was a good year, yeah. It was a good year!” bulalas niya.

Higit kaysa kanyang personal na buhay at na-revive na recording career, John is particularly happy for Nora or Ate Guy.

“Oh, yeah! It’s her year. Masaya ako!” sambit niya.

Naniniwala si John sa tagumpay ni Ate Guy sa pelikulang Thy Womb sa kabila ng mga kontrobersiya sa katatapos na 2012 Metro Manila Film Festival.

“Basta, I was glad to be a part of it… and glad to have witnessed it,” saad pa ni John.

Naniniwala si John sa Chinese zodiac, lalo na sa pagkapanalo ng pelikula nina Direk Brillante Mendoza at ni Ate Guy sa MMFF 2012 awards at sa naunang APSA (Asia-Pacific Screen Awards) in November last year.

Sabi ni John, “It’s written in the stars.

“Ate Guy was born in the Dragon year, so she achieved so much in the Year of the Dragon.

“Pero nagpapasalamat ako na hindi pala natapos yung mundo!” dagdag na biro ni John.

“Akala ko, wala na akong pag-asa, e. So I have to work now.

“Marami akong gustong gawin, e, di ba? Promote the album, yeah.”

Hindi alam ng marami na bukod sa pagku-compose at pagra-rap, John also dabbles in painting, na sinimulan pa lang niyang pag-aralan.

“Wag lang akong ma-sidetrack. Gusto kong pagtuunan ng pansin lahat.”

Upang magbawas ng excess weight, nagwo-workout din si John.

Sabi ni John, “I’m into mixed martial arts.

“That’s why I work out… I do karate.”

NO REASON TO CHANGE. At 42, naniniwala si John na tuluy-tuloy lang ang buhay, sa panibagong pagsisimula tulad sa kasabihang, “life begins at 40.”

“I just see no reason for… to change. I don’t change.

“In fact, I regress nga, e. I go back to the original, e. Yun ang mahirap sa akin.”

“When you think that you’ve learned something, you forget all about it.

“Of course, we have good plans, good dreams. We have good moral character… ang ibang tao lang kasi hindi nila tayo kilala.

“Siyempre, they don’t want to say good things about us.

“But that’s okay. Whatever it is, it’s not gonna be a problem, for as long as there are still people who believe in us.

“From the bottom of my heart, nagpapasalamat talaga ako sa kanilang lahat,” sambit ni John.

ATE GUY UPDATES. As for Ate Guy, si Boy Palma ang naglinaw sa PEP sa mga immediate plans at gagawin ng Superstar.

“Wala pang uumpisahang movie project, focus muna kami sa Never Say Goodbye,” banggit ni Boy.

Ang Never Say Goodbye ay bagong teleserye ng TV5 na bida sina Nora, Cesar Montano, Gardo Versoza, Alice Dixson, Edgar Allan Guzman, at ang Artista Academy winners, Vin Abrenica and Sophie Albert.

“Aalis kasi si Guy sa February, sa States, kaya magte-taping kami ng panay-panay muna,” dugtong ni Boy.

Samantala, napaulat na ang tungkol sa mainstream movie na gagawin ni Ate Guy para sa Studio 5, ang Dementia, na ididirek ni Jun Lana.

Pero mayroong bagong napabalitang indie advocacy project na in-offer umano kay Nora ni Direk Joel Lamangan.

Si Ricky Lee ang may akda ng screenplay, na base sa totoong kuwento ng isang ina, named Edita Burgos, at ang kanyang binatang anak na nawala (forced disappearance; desaparecido) noong 2007.

“Tingnan natin. Depende pa rin yan sa approval ng TV5,” banggit lang ni Boy.