Addicted to Addiction

Amy Winehouse 1983-2011

So I was eating lunch today and a friend who was with me ever so overly chipper says (in almost a celebratory tone), "So did you hear Amy Winehouse joined the 27 club?" I'm like "joined what, 27 what? How could she join a club, I thought she died?"... My friend looks at me as if I were dumb as a bag of rocks, then she replies "Yes she is and she also joined the 27 club, I'm surprised you of all people don't know what that is".  Then miss book of information proceeded to tell me what the 27 club was.  As dumbfounded as I was, I just had to come home and look it up for myself to see it in black and white.  Because honestly it just didn't make sense to me that anyone in their right mind would make up such a thing.  Warning Warning, this is when my filter was removed.

According to wikipedia "the 27 Club" consists of notable rock musicians who have all passed away in their 27th year.  In particular Brian Jones, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Jim Morrison & Kurt Cobain.  All of whom have some sort of controversy surrounding their deaths, all except Joplin that is... The "27 club" or the "Forever 27 club" also consists of other musicians who also died at age 27... (I for one want to live to be at least 107) and Amy Winehouse is the latest artist in this tragic string of coincidences...  Coincidence?  I think not.  Now don't go getting your pantaloons all in a bind.  But really, honestly what human being on the face of the planet living in a civilized nation mind you - does not at one time or another in his or her lifetime get the memo that as Mr. Mackey from my favorite show Southpark would say "Drugs are bad... mmkay".

Those of you who have been reading my blog a while know by now that I think our body is a miracle.  A miracle you should not abuse, period.  Of course I can understand that people have problems, no one unless you are Beaver Cleaver has had or ever will have a perfect childhood or life.  However turning to drugs is simply not the answer.  How could anyone with even a smidge of a brain cell in his or her noggin take drugs?  You know they are addictive, you know it is for sure going to cause a whole lot of muckery for you and for everyone around you, so WHY? Why - I ask?

Honestly can you imagine what music we missed because artists like the above mentioned tragically left this world so young? Personally I think it is very sad.  Sad that so many misguided people think it is OK to abuse and promote the fact that they take drugs.  I mean Lady Gaga stated in an interview that she smokes pot in order to help her be creative when writing songs?... Really? .... Really, come on, if you have to smoke a doobie to write a good song, then guess what, maybe you are not such a good songwriter afterall, and maybe you should possibly pay a good songwriter to do that for you.  So you don't:

A. give the impression to about a zillion of your fans that you think doing drugs is ok..

B. to be able to stay alive and continue living your dream of being an artist.

As for me....  I am happy to say that all I'm addicted to is coffee, and endorphins (God's medicine).  Yes that may sound all goodie two shoes and all but that's just how I roll. No matter what happens to you ever, there is no reason to turn to drugs, period.  Life is just not that bad no matter who you are or where you come from or what has happened to you.  Life is a gift, you should be treasuring & cherishing it.  Drugs are not the answer.  If you are naive enough to think it won't happen to you, think again.  Maybe go to wikipedia and take along hard look at the list of gifted musicians who left this world far too soon.  No one is immune to the danger they posses.  Moments like todays lunch just reinforce for me the importance of what kind of an impact I make on people not only with my music, but in how I live my life.

All I have to say is that is is a sincere shame that Amy Winehouse & the rest of the 27 club left this world so soon and that they were not able to make the music that we all wish we would have heard.

Blessings, Love & Music ~
Ava :D

www.avaaston.com

Step Away From The Coffee Cup

                                                       Ava Aston                        Getty Images © 2011

Of course I'm smiling in this photo, I have a cup of coffee in my hands. The photo was snapped of me as I walked back to my car after getting my morning cup of coffee yesterday. I think the photographer was waiting for me. For those of you who are daily readers of my blog, you might remember the time I sent my manager Mr. Bricks undercover at this Dunkin' Doughnuts location to find out what other people thought of me. The blog was called Undercover Boss.  You can read that blog post here. I must admit, I thought it turned out pretty funny.

I love, love, LOVE coffee. I seriously think I should check myself into the hospital and have an MRI done on my noggin. I highly suspect that caffeine is running through my veins and that coffee is my blood type. I know it is silly that I am powerless over a freshly brewed cup of happiness, but I am and I admit it. I did try to check myself into a Coffee Drinkers Anonymous but they kicked me out. Apparently, they are called 12 steps, and not 12 cups!! Hey, I just thought I was working the program. Personally I have always thought coffee as one of the major food groups anyway.

So, I showed Mr. Bricks this photo of me that was taken and he said I look hypnotized by the coffee aroma. He said my eyes looked glazed over. That was coming from a dude with a lazy eye. Then Mr. Bricks asked if I got him a glazed doughnut? His eyes are going to be glazed over when I smash a dozen glazed doughnuts into his noggin some day. He is not right I tell you.

Did you know Mr. Bricks doesn't even like coffee? In fact he doesn't like any hot liquids, which includes teas, coffees, soups, gravy's  and most sauces. When I was interviewing managers I should have asked him the question, "Do you drink coffee?" But I didn't, because I thought all normal people drink coffee....but then again there is nothing normal about Mr. Bricks.

Did you also know that in some prisons coffee is the currency for the inmates because they are not allowed to have real money while they are locked up in the big house? When they go to the canteen or the "store" as they call it, they buy bags of instant coffee and then repackage it into little baggies of individual serving amounts. That is what they use to pay other inmates to get tattoos, buy cigarettes, homemade liquor and any other illegal drugs that they want, but can't buy at the "store." I know all of this because I am Greek and smart...and because I watched an episode of "Hard Time"on the National Geographic channel. When I started watching the show I thought it was a co-ed prison because there were guys and girls in the same cells. But as I looked closer I realized those guys....ummm, they were girls. In this case it wasn't Dude looks like a Lady it was Lady looks like a Dude - just sayin'.

Seriously, I couldn't handle being locked up like that. But if I ever was... it's nice to know at least I could still get my coffee!

Blessings,

Ava

xox

Sneaker Addiction

My name is Ava and I am an addict. I am a recording artist who is addicted to sneakers.

My manager Mr. Bricks wants to do a sneaker intervention on me. I know I have a problem with sneakers, but I am not ready to give up my addiction. Sneakers are part of my sole....sorry, no pun intended. There is even an online magazine devoted to sneakers.  Click here to view it!

360 AirMax kicks

These were my dream sneakers. They are perfect for running and excellent on the treadmill. The problem is when I run I over pronate and it was destroying my IT band (a muscle) so I needed a sneaker I could run outside with.

Enter my new dream sneaker.

Mizuno

The Mizuno (Wave Nirvana 6) is the perfect sneaker for people who over pronate, running outside and for running longer distances. My sister who runs marathon's  turned me onto the Mizuno. Yes, some addictions run rampant through out a family.

However, not all sneakers are created equal.

Nike shox

A girl must have a sneaker for cross training, kick boxing and for doing plyometrics - which is a type of jump training designed to produce fast, powerful movements, and improve the functions of the nervous system, generally for the purpose of improving performance in sports.  For me it helps with my running speed.

Like the last few days, sometimes the weather outside is frightful and it's time to hang up the sneakers.

Ok, the addiction is not just sneakers. It's also boots.

ok..shoes too.

Just so you don't think the Greek Blonde Girl is the only Sneakerhead on the planet (yah, we're called Sneakerheads) You gotta watch this video from Sneaker Con that was held last year. My feet are twitching for the next one coming up soon!

Sneaker Con made headlines all the way to Sneakerheads in Brazil

Sneakers are my guilty pleasure -- but most of the time they are on my feet while I am working out or running, so my sneaker addiction can't be all that bad for me now can it?

Blessings,

Ava

xox

Don't forget there's only 5 days left to order the Christmas Bonus Buy CD combo from my store. Check it out here.