Oh No Not Again

So I was getting ready the other day to head Upstate NY where I would be working on my new music video for, "I Don't Even Care" when I was shocked to read the latest news blurb.  It turns out, yet again in an unfortunate scenario a young and aspiring artist jumped to her death off the George Washington Bridge.  What's so awful about this is that she did it out of being "bullied" in the workplace.  She apparently also had a history of being bullied early on in both high school and while working as a model.

Now you might be wondering why Greek Girl is blogging about such a sad story.  Well, it's simple: I HATE BULLIES!

Here's my point:  Unless you have heard the song you wouldn't know, "I Don't Even Care" is written about this very issue.  In my own life I have faced bullies for as far back as I can remember.  It wasn't because I came from a lower income family or that I was the little "fat-kid", it was with my music.  Even now I face it with the know-it-all so-called "experts" and critics who say I am too old to have a music career, or that my political views are wrong and even that I am a Christian.  I mean what is this world coming too?

Take this girl who killed herself for instance.  Here she is trying to build a life in the Fashion Industry.  Meanwhile her colleagues are tearing at her and beating her up verbally so much that out of some twisted sense of revenge and self-pity she ended her life.  Why?  What is going on in our world that we are so obsessed with having to make other people feel bad about themselves in order to puff our own selves up?  What is it that we must despise people and treat them so poorly that they would do something such as kill themselves?

I know all too well what it's like to face these giants in life.   I am often faced with being unaccepted, mocked or ridiculed and I am not even in any major spot-light like the typical "celebrity".  It's for this reason I wrote this song and am now working with my husband to develop the music video.  It's with a passion I want the world to know it's not okay to bully people and for those who are being bullied they can stand up and they are not alone.

For whatever reason we as a society have gone in the wrong direction. On one hand we celebrate people because they can sing or dance, hit a ball or run the fastest and even have lists for the "100 Hottest" of whatever.  Meanwhile the media is out there doing everything they can to destroy the very people they are putting on a pedestal.  So it's a twisted web people have been indoctrinated into.  We praise those for superficial greatness then can't wait to tear them down.  Everyone is vying for the most attention and greatness.  Everywhere we turn there is another reality show promising to make "stars" out of anyone and everyone and that it doesn't take hard work to succeed.  Then we glamorize the demise and destruction of these same "stars" and like cannibals we feed off of and relish in the idea of watching someone fall and fail.

My question to you is, "when are we going to start turning the tables?"  When are we as a society ever going to wake up and realize we need to celebrate hard work and intelligence.  We are becoming a self-obsessed society that is focused on stardom and pick on and beat up on the "nerd" who will most-likely one day be your boss and write your paycheck.

God made us all with unique talents and unique abilities and unique looks.  Each of us is made special for our own purpose that God has for us to fulfill.  But because we live in a society full of celebrating the wrong kind of success most forget or lose track of what great things they can become and never know why God put them here in the first place.  We need more Doctors and Rocket Scientists not more Justin Bieber's or Kim Kardashian's.  On top of that the last thing we need is more Michael Vick's and cheaters like Lance Armstrong.

Now some of you may say "What about you Greek Girl? Aren't you chasing the same stardom?!?" But it's not the same thing.  I have been working as a singer and actor for many years.  It's not a pipe-dream or something I want to just "try out".  This is who I am and what I know God put me on this Earth to do.  To sing and perform as a positive role model, to be salt and light in this crazy messed up world.  This is why I am working tirelessly to win in the VeeWall Original Song Contest.  Winning will give me the chance to connect with more people and organizations in an effort to share my message.  It's the same message found in my song, "I Don't Even Care".  You can Click Here to read the entire story about me and what I want to do with my music career.  So, if you want to help me in making a difference and help me start a change in our society,  I would very much appreciate it.  Winning is far more than the prize money.  It is a tool I need to put my message out there and help maybe stop the next bullied person from taking their own life and making a positive difference in a world so full of hate.

Click Here To Vote For ava

Blessings, Love & Music~

Ava xo :)
www.avaaaston.com

Click here to vote for Ava

Celebrity Tattoos

Angelina Jolie, Celebrity Tattoo Pioneer?...

Inked, marked, tatted, whatever you choose to call it.  It seems like there's a lot of celebs running around getting tattoos these days.  According to my trusty Yahoo news headlines Leann Rimes & Reese Witherspoon are the latest ladies to get "inked" for love.  For those of you who may be wondering, yes the Greek Girl does have a tattoo.  Now before you go getting your pantaloons all in a wad, relax - no it doesn't say "mom", "dad" and no it is not the name of some long lost love named Brad.  (Good Gravy, give the Greek Girl some credit).  My tattoo is on my ankle, is small and quite unique ~ although it is about someone I love... my tattoo is of (cue drumroll).... Eric Cartman from Southpark.

My ink... this is how I roll :D

OK, why Eric Cartman you my be thinking to yourself?  I'll tell you why, because he's cute, and he makes me laugh.  Ever since I saw my first episode I was hooked.  There is just something about Eric that makes me laugh myself silly.  If I were a cartoon I'd probably date him (wait a minute I am a cartoon "Ava the Diva" & that's a blog I already wrote).  My mom has a special made birthday cake made for me every year of him.  Disclaimer, remember I love the show Southpark, do I think it is a show for kids? No...  It's a grown up cartoon that makes fun of everything and shows us how silly we can actually be at times about life.

I decided to put on my detective hat to find out how many celebrities have tattoos.  Is it just Rock Stars and Wrestlers or what?  So since the list would go on forever, I decided to put together the following random list of celebs who you may or may not have known are inked:

Dwayne Johnson aka "The Rock"
Christina Aguilera
Justin Bieber (didn't even know he was old enough to get a tattoo - even with parents permission, isn't there a law about that? well if not there should be - just sayin)
Rihanna
David Beckham
Angelina Jolie (times a bakers dozen - again just sayin)
Mike Tyson (now what the heck was he thinking on that one, seriously... that thing is like something you do when you loose a bet in a frat house initiation)
Charlize Theron
Johnny Depp
Lady Gaga
Heidi Klum
Eminen
50 Cent
Pink

As I said, this list is long and could go on and on, but you get my drift.  Why so much ink, one might ask.  I think it is because most actors/musicians are pretty passionate people and need an expressive outlet.  Some would say we artists have a tendency to go to extremes.  Yeah I guess that could be said.

I'm just glad I didn't choose to tat up some name I might grow to never want to see again somewhere that would be impossible to miss.  I for one am very glad I opted for a teeny little homage to one of my very favorite guys ~ Eric Cartman.

Blessings, Love & Music ~
Ava :D xox
www.avaaston.com

If you are a loser, I like you!

Many of you reading this know by now how much having a daily physical fitness routine and having really good eating habits means to me, right? I constantly talk about it on Facebook and Twitter.  So, I decided to let you in on a few secrets of mine.

I'm a big fan of the reality show The Biggest Loser.  Truth be told, when I was a child I was on the thick side, so I can relate to all of those trying so hard on the show. Of all the reality shows, it is the one series that really tugs at my heart-strings the most, because it is so inspirational. Jillian Michaels and Bob Harper are great. They are doing so many positive things by changing people's lives for the better.  Kudos to NBC on that one.

Before I get into my "secrets", it I must say I am not a doctor, (but if any casting directors are out there, I will play one on TV) So, I suggest before you start any drastic changes in your diet or fitness routine it's always a good idea to check it out with your own (real) doctor before you start. Alright, legal disclaimer is out-of-the-way...

HEALTHY EATING

It has nothing to do with skipping meals. People who really know me or spend time around me  are amazed at how much I do eat. It's not the volume, but how often. Just like clock work, I eat regularly every three hours. Nothing big, but several small meals throughout the day. The old say, anything in moderation isn't too bad.

Here is a picture of one my typical lunch or dinners.  Notice the biggest thing on the plate is a baked potato. It is a super food and you can't go wrong with it. To liven it up, I added a little cottage cheese -- yummo, it's delish.  Exnay the concept of having a baked potato loaded to the skins dripping with butter, cheddar cheese, bacon bits, sour cream,

chives and buckets of salt & pepper.  That's not happening folks. Not today, not tomorrow, not never.  My manager, Mr. Bricks says a potato with cottage cheese makes him vomit a little in his mouth. But he just doesn't know what he is missing. I have threatened to send him to superstar fitness guru Jillian Michaels' Fat Camp, or as I call it "Jillian Jail" ....she will change his eating habits one way or another.  I rounded this meal off with some fried zucchini sticks and an egg white spinach omelette with some ketchup on top. I love ketchup. Heinz, looking for a pitch girl???.... Love your product, I'm just sayin'.

WORKING OUT

I have my daily routines. I do a lot of running. Nothing is better than lacing up the Nike 360 Air Max sneakers, clipping on the iPod and just running! It is all about the endorphins.

Sometimes living in New York we get this stuff called snow.... So I can't always get outside like I would like too. So I do have workouts I do inside when I don't run or can't run. I am certified in aerobics, but I am not a gym rat. When I want to work out, I work out. I don't want to prance around a gym in designer workout clothes with make-up on. For me its put my hair in a pony tail, slap on some sweats and a t-shirt, lace up a pair of Nike Shox sneakers and let the sweating begin. Another reason I don't like going to the gym is when I am working out really hard and start to sweat, my face turns bright red. I look like a tomato that is ready to burst. Attractive? I think not. Seriously I look like a tomato, I'm not kidding you.

So when I work at home I use several different DVD programs to work out to. My favorite one is Tony Horton's P90X® Extreme workout program -- it is a real butt kicker, but so worth it. When I lived in Los Angeles I worked out doing kick boxing with Billy Blanks in his gym.  Now that was a blast. I love kick boxing and Billy rocks!

I did do a Hydroxycut commercial, actually my photo at the top in the purple bikini is from a Hydroxycut photo shoot. They never aired my commercial.  I like their products, however, everyone has to decide what is right for them and I want to stress once again, no matter what you do you should always check with your own doctor first. They went to a bazillion years of school for a reason.

So...I am climbing down from my soap box right now.  I hope this was informational.

Have a blessed day!

Ava          xox