It's My Birthday I Can Come Out if I Want To

Happy Birthday to Me ;D

Well friends, today is my birthday and I decided what better time to come out of the closet and get my big secret off my chest. No it's not that, get your mind out of the gutter... This is the Greek Girl we're talking about. You know, I'm your friendly, squeaky clean, girl next door, remember?  No there are no dead bodies hiding in the trunk of Johnny Jetta.  It's my birthday, and as much as it stings me to say this, today I am turning 40. OUCH, yes that did sting.

WARNING: This may be my longest blog ever, just sayin. So grab a hot beverage, make your self comfortable and continue to read on. This is important stuff coming out my noggin today.

Now, I know a lot of people are going to be surprised about this revelation, because I never ever talk about my age.  I even had to bribe Mr. Bricks with McRibs and Double Quarter Pounders with Cheese not to reveal my deep dark secret. He's such a push over for any food with grease in it. So, why did I never talk about my age until now? Well because in my noggin age is irrelevant to talent. It's not that I have a problem with it. The reason is because I am working and have been working very hard my entire life to make my dreams come true. However, the truth is, the entertainment industry in general has a problem with it.  No one comes out and talks about it, but the truth is there is an age bias within the entertainment and music industries. There I said it. So a long time ago, I decided I would not tell people my age, I just let them think whatever they wanted to think.

I'm also an actor as well as a singer, and actors play a variety of characters.  You can play older or younger, and the best actors have done it their entire career.  You can be young and play old, or old and play young, that is the beauty of acting. Here's a quick Greek Girl lesson in English:  Acting = pretend. 'nuff said. If you are already an "established" artist it is perfectly fine to be anything other than a 'tween sensation. However try and call up a record label and say, Hi, I'm 40. Do you wanna sign me?  (insert cricket sounds here...)

So what, I'm a woman (hear me roar).  I'm not a little girl dressing up vampy to look like a woman.  Why do you think American Idol/So You Think You Can Dance, etc. all have age limits? Almost every time you meet someone in the industry who can open up a door for you, whether it be an A&R rep, producer, casting director, agent, or whoever they all have an issue with age, they just don't openly admit it. Even if they are sitting straight across from you, looking right into your eyeballs... and had just listened to your music or watched your work (and said they liked it) until they asked the million dollar question, "so how old are you?"  Silly,  I know. But sadly it is true, and although it is just a number - once they have heard it, it is a game changer. It changes the entire conversation.

Everyone who reads my blog knows that I eat very healthy, workout like a crazy person, and take a lot of vitamins. I guess you can say, I am the anti-Mr. Bricks.  I'm sure my Greek genes have something to do with it, but I don't feel I look like a "typical 40-year-old".  This leads me to ask the question, what is a "typical 40 year old" supposed to look like anyway?  Why is it that some people want write off anyone over the age of 28, and God forbid they think if you are over 30, you are or should be the mother of 3.2 kids, driving a Caravan, look frumpy, and have abandoned all of your dreams? Who said that is even what a 30, 35, or even 40 or 45 year old should look like? I sure didn't get that memo :D

So, I have decided to stuff my ears full of cotton balls, and walk around going la la la la la la - I can't hear you! I have had people say to me things like, "Why on earth are you still pursuing your dream after all this time?  Don't you think it would have happened by now if it were going to happen?"  My answer is Hell to the NO.  It will happen when God wants it to happen.

OK, so why let go of my secret and come out now? I'm finally releasing it and taking it totally out of my hands.  I know if God wants me to succeed it will happen, whether people know my real age or not.  Besides I'm sure I'm not the only person out there who has a dream that feels that they have to hide their age like they are hiding a triple homicide in their background.  By putting it out there and telling everyone my real age, I hope to encourage others to stand up and say hey - I'm here. I am whatever age I am, and I'm talented, deal with it. 

I can not change the day I was born, none of us can.  We are who God created us to be. We all have unique talents, abilities and gifts he gave to each and every one if us. We are all here for a purpose.  I have zero control over what opportunities I have or have not had yet in my life.  Does that mean I or anyone else for that matter is not talented because we have not achieved our dreams by a certain age? No!  What it does mean is that it is not our time yet. Sadly, many people give up before they ever reach their dreams.  They give up because of pressure from friends, family or people who never went after their own dreams. I'm here to say DO NOT GIVE UP! It is never ever too late, as long as you are breathing, you have an opportunity to achieve your goals.

A lot of my fans have the illusion that there is some little machine making things happen in my career.  That I'm sitting in my mac-mansion counting my zillion downloads. I know people like to eat sausage, but they don't want to know how the sausage is made.  The truth is, there is no machine - it is just me and my sweetheart, and no zillion downloads -yet that is.  He also happens to be an aspiring artist, an actor and filmmaker (and he's 5 yrs. younger than me btw, score one for the Greek Girl. ) ;D.  We have chosen not to have kids until we achieve our goals.  So many people have kids and put aside their dreams and goals then end up with regrets later in life.  So nothing but Fur~kids over here - - 4 spoiled rotten doggies. Honestly, one of my goals is to be able to adopt a few kids from countries where there are so many orphans, little souls who don't have a chance and didn't ask to be born into poverty. To give them a chance and a better life.  That however will be after I have a Grammy, Oscar and an Emmy. Yes I know I have a lot of work to do...

Entertainers who are "older" & Look Gorgeous:
Jennifer Lopez 42, Johnny Depp 48, Angelina Jolie 36, Sandra Bullock 47, Mark Whalberg 40, Charlize Theron 36, Elle Macpherson 48, John Rzeznik 45 (lead singer of my fav band the Goo Goo Dolls, hubba hubba) Nicole Kidman 44, LL Cool J 43, Jennifer Aniston 42, Brooke Burke 40, Cameron Diaz 39, Halle Berry 45, Faith Hill 43, Matt Damon 40, Jennifer Garner 39, P Diddy 41, Reese Witherspoon 35, Keanu Reeves 47, Mary J. Blige 40, Gwyneth Paltrow 38, Julia Roberts 43, Jason Statham 43, The Rock Dwayne Johnson 39, James Marsden 37, Cindy Crawford 45, Shania Twain 47... Brad Pitt 47, Tony Horton 53... Hello ~ Shall I go on?...

My point today is, age is just a number.  Everyone is going to get to a certain age, even Justin Bieber, Selena Gomez and yes even my little buddy Rebecca Black.  As one of my hero's Tony Horton (the creator of P90X) says "Aging Schmaging, you can get all old and crothchety or you can be in shape." The choice is up to us as to how we age.  It's never too late for your dreams to come true.  As for me, I'm going to continue to press forward toward my goal.  I have an iron will just like one of my very favorite movie characters of all time Rocky Balboa and I for one am not giving up until the fat lady sings. Well make that until the Greek Blonde Girl sings that is.

Blow out your candles & make a wish ;D xox

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

California Girls: America's Most Wanted?

California Girls

Despite all of the turmoil the United States is involved in around the world I still believe we live in the greatest country in the world. There are so many great things about our country that citizens from other countries want. As a Greek American, and as a multi-national singer/actress/blogger I decided to become the Unofficial Czar of Export and compile a list of the greatest American exports of all time, (in no particular order):

Mr. Bricks Go To Meal

FOOD

America is the birthplace to fast food. You can hardly go anywhere in the world and not see a McDonald's, Subway, Wendy's, Taco Bell, KFC, Arby's, Starbucks, Pizza Hut, Burger King, Sonic Drive-In or my all time favorite Dunkin' Donuts - (which I go to almost daily, just for the coffee.) These fast food chains have more than 138,300 combined world-wide locations. The amazing thing about that number is that my manager Mr. Bricks has been to all of them!

Sigh....my dream car!!

CARS

Although the automobile was not invented in America, ever since the very first Model T rolled off of Henry Ford's assembly line in 1908 America has had a love affair with their car!  In America, performance became a prime focus of marketing American exported cars, exemplified by what is called the pony or muscle cars. Additionally full-size sedans like Cadillac and Lincoln also are wanted American cars overseas.

Huba, Huba

MOVIES

Hollywood is one of the major tourists destination places for foreigners. It draws an estimated 4 - 5 million tourists a year, not just for the landmarks like the iconic Hollywood Sign, The stars on the Hollywood Boulevard Walk of Fame or to see the handprints in the cement at the Grauman's Chinese Theatre, but in hopes of seeing their favorite Hollywood Movie Star. (Hello world, I'm here in New York!) The international box office makes up more than 50% - 65%  of the profits for any film, making Hollywood films one of the highest grossing exports. Just one film, Avatar has a world-wide box office gross of $2,781,505,847

Elvis has left the building

MUSIC

American music is exported and heard in many other countries just like other country's artist get a lot of airplay and record sales here in the United States. The internet and iTunes have made music almost universal and without borders. Elvis Presley has sold the most albums worldwide with 1.6 billion albums sold. Michael Jackson comes in second with just over 750,000,000 in album sales.  Garth Brooks is 3rd with 150,000,000 album sold. Note: For Non-American artists, The Beatles are tied with Elvis with 1.6 billion units sold.

 GIRLS

I put this on the list because girls are always a major topic in American movies and songs, and I figured I could get and extra 500 readers for my blog today!  The Beach Boys and everyone else really seem to like not just the California Girls, but remember the East coast girls are hip (you betcha, especially east coast Greek girls, just sayin') because everyone digs the styles they wear and that the Southern girls with the way they talk they knock people out when they're down there. Many people think it's always great to get back to states to the cutest girls in the world.

Loser, Duh!

CHARLIE SHEEN

Ok, the Greek girl tried to slip this one in there just to see if you actually read all of this stuff that I write in my blog as it flows from my noggin. I admit no other country is clamoring for the self-proclaimed man who is on a drug, called "Charlie Sheen" and who is filled with Tiger Blood. I thought the rest of the country might be a "winner" for exporting him, as it sounds like people in Detroit who paid upwards of $80 for a seat to see his "Violent Torpedo of Truth" tour at the Fox Theatre last night would agree because they booed him or walked out on his show.

Blessings,

Ava

xox