New year new you

Happy New Year!

They say the new year is a time for new beginnings. A whole new chance to begin again. New year, new you, or maybe a new me. Possibly the same old me, just one that I haven't seen in a while.

It's that time of the year when we get the opportunity to reflect on the past year and set goals for the new one ahead. For me the last year has really been a great opportunity to grow and expand my awareness of all kinds of things from health/wellness and going almost totally vegan to changes in fitness. The year I began to really love yoga. Which for a girl who spent most of her life doing all kind of crazy workouts, is actually quite surprising. I never thought I would love it as much as I do. In fact it has been the best thing for my back. Having sustained a back injury in two close-dated car accidents years back, really put a damper on the crazy workouts. Since I started to do yoga regularly, honestly my back hurts if I "don't"do yoga.

Anyhow back to my original thought. It happened kind of randomly actually, but it got me to thinking. My acting representative was visiting shortly before Christmas. He started to tease me a bit about the fact that he has a hard time finding jobs to submit me for. As there are far less castings for blondes than for brunettes. If you are at a certain level in an entertainment career you can have your hair any color and mostly people adjust to you, or you change it for a role, then put it back as needed. However, until that point, you kind of need to be able to "be" what is being cast. So if a role says "female 30-40 brunette" he can't send me if my hair is blonde.

Unless, my inside voice started to say "unless I wear a wig". So the next chance I had I dragged the Mr. along to some local wig shops. Just to get an idea of how I would look, because honestly I had not seen it in so long I couldn't even remember how I looked as a brunette.

Yes it is true, I did not come from the manufacturer (the man upstairs)with blonde hair. So I put on a few and of course none of the pictures below are what I have in mind, but making use of what they had in the shop, I took a few fun pics just to see how I looked in a dark hairdo. So here ya go:

Holy 90's hairdo & way dark... but it's what they had!  

Whole lotta hair & super dark with BANGS! (Good gravy)

 As you can see, I look quite different, it was a bit shocking for me. Of course these are much darker than my hair actually grows out of my noggin. However, it was fun to try them on an see a different version of me. So in order to be cooperative with my acting rep, I am going to humor him and comply with his request. Hey what do I have to loose? If it works I can have more opportunities for acting work. If not, I can always put it back if I don't like it.

My plan, is to just go light brown with some blonde in the front more along the lines of Jennifer Anniston. To have even more options, I am also going to order a wig online in a medium brown ,and then have my talented Mr. (being a super awesome photographer is one of his many talents) take headshots of me in both colors. This way my acting rep has more options.

This my friends is how the new year is going to bring a new version of the old me. What are your plans for the New Year? Do you have any resolutions, big ones, small ones? Whatever they are try to keep a positive mindset. I think sometimes we can set big goals and then beat ourselves up if we don't accomplish everything all at once or as quickly as we might like.

Remember to be grateful for the past year and thankful for every day, because it is a gift. We only get one day at a time and that my friends is the best advice I can give as to how to roll into the New Year.

Wishing you and yours a beautiful, blessed and HAPPY New Year!

Blessings, Love & Music ~
Ava xo
www.avaaston.com

National Coffee Day

A little taste of my coffee brewing collection.

National Coffee Day... what exactly does that mean? Well for coffee addicts like me that means once a year we get to show up at coffee joints around the country and get a free cup of joe. Seriously though if you didn't know about it, yes there is such a thing as a "National Coffee Day", and yes some chains and local coffee houses are offering a free cup of coffee to celebrate.

Most people who read my blog if they know anything about me (besides the fact that I'm Greek) they know this one thing, I love love love love love coffee. This makes perfect sense of course because we Greek's perfected the art of coffee drinking, along with inventing  drama (acting), politics, and the windex. I laughed out loud when I visited Greece one time and on a tour of a park near the Acropolis the guide told our little group that Greek's invented drama and politics. I was thinking to myself "so that explains why I'm an actor (besides a recording artist) and highly opinionated about politics." 

The art of coffee drinking masterfully blended with drama can be wittnessed at any Greek Diner. I can almost guarantee you that somewhere in there is a table full of Greek's chatting away full of passionate talking and hand gestures. So I guess the genes carried on in Greek Girl because ever since I can remember I have loved coffee. I love the smell of it brewing, I love the taste of it, and the feel of a cup in my hands. No it doesn't help me to write better songs, or remember my lines, I just like it. What can I say? Everyone has something. Besides there have even been studies that suggest it is good for your bones/health so that's a thumbs up in my book.

Now I do have my favorites and it really depends on the day, time or situation as to what kind of coffee I'm in the mood for. My absolute favorite hot coffee ever is Dunkin Donuts. Second is McDonald's, yes they have very good coffee, and the best part is a large is only $1.08 - can't beat that!  My favorite iced coffee is Starbucks. At home I have all kinds of ways to enjoy a good cup of joe, I have a Keurig, where I can brew my Dunkins. There's also a regular drip coffee pot, a french press and one of my personal favorites my Nespresso Espresso Machine. If you've never had a Nespresso I highly suggest finding a store near you and going to get a sample cup. It brews the espresso at the optimun tempature so the taste is always perfect, and they are known for the creme on the top, it's just perfect! Nothing else to be said. Another little treat I got turned onto while visiting  Greece was Nescafe'. Yes I did just say that I like instant coffee. See in Greece it is very popular (so much so that they even sell these at McDonald's there), iced Nescafe'. It's Nescafe' in a large cup, milk, half and half, or both and sweeten to liking. Then you have a Yummoliscious iced cup of happiness!

No matter what your favorite cup of happiness is, today is the day to think about how something so simple can bring a little happiness and smile to your face. Stop by your favorite place to get one and think of all the other coffee lovers out there who love it just as much as you do. I know that participating Dunkin Donuts and McDonald's are offering a free cup, for any other places that are just check online. So raise your cup and happy sipping!

Here's to celebrating hot cups of happiness all day long!

Blessings, Love, and Music ~
Ava xo
www.avaaston.com

Labor Day Weekend

Looks kind of like what I have in mind...

Did the summer whiz right by or am I just imagining things?  It seems like the mulch episode where I rented a van and scored a bunch of cheap mulch off of craigslist was just a few weeks ago.  Yes I did just say that, don't know what I'm talking about read all about it here.  However it wasn't just a few weeks ago, it was three months ago.

Boy time sure did fly this summer.  Which probably means I spent way too much time working and not enough time enjoying the Sunshine.  Don't get me wrong I'm not complaining, I love the fact that I am able to pursue the thing that I Love music and acting.  Living so close to NYC and yet not "in" it if you know what I mean.  Although I will say that huffing it from audition to audition in different parts of the city when it's 95 degrees isn't as fun as say sitting on the beach getting some vitamin D therapy.  Thank goodness there's a Dunkin's on just about every corner to keep me hydrated with iced cups of happiness to beat the heat! 

Well since the last official weekend of Summer is almost upon us it got me to thinking that I better hurry up and get in some fun in the sun before the snow starts flying.  They say it is going to be higher than average snowfall for us here in the Northeast this year... shocking.

So what am I going to do this weekend?  Hit the beach, detail the VW's Jillian Jetta & Joel Jetta, walk the fur-kids, work on some of the new music I have been writing, and relax.  Oh yeah and the best part... my Birthday is coming and that means my yearly specially made Cartman Birthday Cake will be coming from my mom next week, which means Happy Greek Girl!

Hope you have a fun and safe Labor Day weekend!

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

You Can't Do That

This is how I roll!

So if you have been reading my blog for any amount of time one thing you should know is those are words best not said to me, because telling me that "I can't do something" is just fuel for my Greek Girl fire.  Seriously though, don't you just love how when you set out to do something big or hard there is usually someone around to say something to that effect?

Sometimes these people think they mean well, but really if you ask me it is more because they gave up on something they were not able to accomplish at one point or another in their life and so they are now the new cheerleaders for "playing it safe".  What they often times turn into are bullies.  Hello... can anyone say annoying?

With me it is the fact that I have been going after my dream and goal (music and acting) for a long time.  Did I mention it has been a long, long, long, time ;) ?  Some people choose to give up on things and start to say things like: "it's just not meant to be" or "it must not be meant for me, if it were going to happen it would have happened by now", and yada, yada, yada.  That might be all good and well for those people, and that is fine for them.  I'm wired a little different, I'm Greek which is also another word for stubborn.  See when I set out to do something no matter how long or how hard it is I stick with it until it is done.  It applies to everything I do from my workouts to my career pursuit.

Personally I think that is one of the problems we have in society right now, too many people think if something is too hard it's not worth doing or pursuing.  People are so used to having instant gratification, getting things "Now" that they forget the value in hard work.  They don't remember that when you work hard to earn something you appreciate  and savor it.  You do not squander it or opportunities.

Back to the story... so last week I had two auditions for National Commercials two days in a row.  Being that summer is usually slow, this was a good thing and I wanted to share it with my facebook peeps.  Well two girls I went to high school with (whom apparently have not left) girls I was not even friends with more acquaintances decided it would be a good idea to mock the fact that I asked my friends to pray about it.

So I did what any good Greek Girl using her coconut would do... I banned and blocked them from my page.  Really who has time for nonsense?  Life is too short and too busy to waste energy on people who are ugly inside.  Apparently the fact that I am still going after my dream is funny to them.  One of them even went as far as to send an email to my official website a few years back saying very sarcastically that she didn't remember my having blonde hair back in high school, then giving the year.  Like she was telling on me or something... lol

Last time I checked coloring your hair was not against any law, besides the fact that anyone who knows anything about me knows that I pick on myself all the time for all sorts of things and have never presented myself as a natural blonde.  (Hello - see blog about it)  She also mentioned a National Commercial I was in where I was playing the daughter and she insinuated the woman playing the mom was around my same age, again like she was telling some big secret.  Here’s a quick Greek Girl lesson in English:  Acting = pretend. ’nuff said.  You can be young and play old, or old and play young, that is the beauty of acting.  I didn't cast the commercial, if I look right for a part whatever that part is and the casting director thinks I'm right for it, who is some misery factory to say otherwise? Also a topic I have blogged about (see Birthday blog)

I just find it silly that people waste so much energy on telling others what they "can't" do.  Say la vie, if someone wants to give up on something that might be the right choice for them.  For me it's finish or die, in the words of one of my heroes Sir Winston Churchill "Never, Never, Never Give Up."  That's just how I roll and I don't see what the big whoop is if I choose to persevere despite what it might look like in the natural.  I guess what irked me most was the fact that they were mocking my faith.

Why did I take the time to tell you this?  Because something else I am very passionate about besides my career endeavors is helping people to see their potential.  Far too many people don't realize how strong they are.  So when the bullies in life show up telling them "You Can't Do that" they give in or it starts to sink in.  I'm here to say to you whatever you're trying to accomplish whether it is to start a business, get a degree, get in shape, be an astronaut for crying out loud whatever it is, ignore the bullies.  You CAN do it if you stick with it and do not give up.

"When push comes to shove no matter what it is, when the going get tough you have two choices: Give in or Dig in." ~ Ava Aston

Have a beautiful day!

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

GPS Equals Muckery

Ever feel like your Nav is laughing at you?...

What is it about GPS that requires you need a PHD to actually use the stinking thing? I swear it's like the mad scientists who came up with the whole GPS idea spent too much time in Colorado worried about passing the law to allow legalization of marijuana or something because most of the time they just don't work.

Okay, well maybe it could be operator error, or maybe it's the blonde Greek thing.  Which in my world means I can be a bit dramatic and a little "challenged" when it comes to technology to say the least.  I would love to have my own personal full-time 24/7 techie-minion.  You know, someone who can make all my technology muckery go away.  Considering I'm on my 5th or even 6th iPhone I am stilly having enough a hard time working the dang thing.  You would think by now I would get it.  But no, those so-called "geniuses" had to go and change the Apps for the iPhone and come up with some cockamamy concotion they call "maps".  Have you tried this thing yet?

What makes it worse is that I think the same "geniuses" worked on a scheme for VW built into GPS to make my life all that more difficult.  Did they not think about the fact that if "texting" and driving is a bad idea - using GPS while driving is probably not a good move either...  Hello?  Even the Blondie over here gets that.

So picture this.  I book an acting job outside the city somewhere in Connecticut.  It's of course in a town I've never been to.  So what do I do?  I get my GPS in order.  Now, as simple as you may think this is, it's not that straight forward let me tell you.  Instead of being a 1 or 2 step process, it is actually more like a 25 step process all to get me lost and late by almost an hour.  Can anyone say Oy Vey?!?

1. Check the address.  Check it again.

2. Print the address and check it again.

3.  Pull up Google Maps on my computer and check the address.

4.  Cross reference the address three more times and check for alternate routes.

5. Put the address in my iPhone and check the map that Apple provides and realize it's not the same.

6.  Check Bing maps and see it's not the same.

7.  Ask my sweetie to help me and make sure I have the right address and realize he's just as challenged.

8.  Go for a walk to relieve the stress because I am going to have to drive myself there alone.

9. Print off the address and step-by-step directions just in case.

10.  Ask my sweetie to input the address in the GPS in the car.

11.  Verify the address is in the car all set and ready to go.

12.  Make sure the address is set in my iPhone and ready to go.

13.  Press start and realize the lady GPS guide's voice is way too low and fidget with the dang thing to adjust it.  It doesn't work so I just hope I don't get lost.  Not really sure which Genius decided it was a good idea to set the GPS to have the "sound automatically turn to silent" after each use...

14.  Immediately realize the address is changing and the mileage is changing and it is telling me I am going the wrong way.

15.  Begin breathing slow and deep to avoid a nervous breakdown.

16.  Call my sweetie to make sure I am ok and not going to get lost.

17.  Take him at his word and keep going just before I realize the route changed "again".

18.  Call my sweetie one more time to ask advice. (big mistake as he's driving the other direction now).

19.  Listen as he tells me to avoid the GPS direction and take the next exit for a totally different highway.  Can anyone say OY VEY!?!?

20.  Follow the route just as he realizes he told me the wrong direction.

21.  Pull over in a panic in the middle of the highway and have that nervous breakdown I was avoiding 20 minutes ago.

22.  Call in a frenzy that I am going to be late.

23.  Push about 200 buttons trying to figure out the dang GPS and get to my destination once and for all.

24.  Attempt to follow the crazy lady in the GPS and see where on God's green Earth she is taking me; over the river and through the woods - literally.

25.  40 minutes later arrive somewhere back in civilization and 20 more minutes get to my destination.

The best part is that at the end of it all, I had to go home and use the GPS yet again. Somebody please help me.  If only I had a techie-minion or a big-time record deal where I could hire a driver I would be all set.  Then I could be on time for more things.  Oh who am I kidding?  Everyone is just way too early. ;D

Blessings, Love & Music ~
Ava xo
www.avaaston.com

Storytellers

A good story is a timeless and beautiful thing to enjoy and share.

Well here I am plopped on my couch watching the Oscars.  Are you really surprised? I mean I am Greek... We did invent "Acting" remember?  That along with the windex, politics and good food of course.

So it's got me to thinking about the whole process.  The glitz, the glam, who gets nominated, who doesn't.  Whose wearing what and whom.  Who is so and so's date and on and on...  We all know so much of what goes on Oscar night boils down to a popularity contest.  Yet there are so many amazing stories that because of popularity do not get the attention they deserve.  So many stories yet unseen, and even more stories who are yet untold.

There are screenplays from countless storytellers from all over the world that are waiting to come to life.  Not only that but the world is full of great storytellers.  Almost everything we experience on a daily basis is a story.  Not just the movies, but TV, animation, music, blogs, newspapers, and magazines.  Stories are everywhere.

We have such a strong connection to stories.  Really who doesn't want their life to be like a story?  The good guy wins, gets the girl, and the dog finds his way home again.  If only life were that simple.  Stories help us to find our way through life through the good times and the bad.  And the greatest storyteller of all... Jesus.

He used stories to tell us how we are to live and how to navigate through this life according to his plan and purpose for us.  It was his primary message of communicating with us and delivering God's message.  Modern theatre was birthed from the Church (the Greek one of course - the "Correct Church" that is - LOL) ;D Think about it...  That is why most churches are designed in the way they are.  The pastor is telling a story, conveying a message and most times the choir helps drive home that message with songs, that also tell stories.  Which is ironic because that very industry (the film industry) was birthed from the church, and it is doing everything it can to keep God out of it.

Geeze... it's a good thing there are people like me ;D Who desire to tell stories using my talents through music and acting that invoke thinking and promote morals, values and yes even Godliness into our Pop Culture and into society.  Yes I said it that bad word that might possibly offend someone "Godliness".  The best part is, I'm not alone.  There are so many amazingly talented artists out there who create and produce thought provoking stories that are also funny and entertaining.

At the end of the day... isn't that what we all want anyway?  To be inspired and to smile... I will say that the entire cast of Les Miserables singing the finale song on stage - that sure did make Greek Girl smile.

Blessings,
Ava :D xox
www.avaaston.com