Being Mark Zuckerberg

Being Mark Zuckerberg - if only...

No I am not thinking of changing my name to Mark Zukerberg like that Rotem Guez who legally changed his name to Mark Zuckerberg and is currently in a heated lawsuit over something that Facebook deems inappropriate, (shocking I know).  I mean does this guy really think he is going to scare Facebook by having to say they will have to "sue" Mark Zuckerberg? It's not only stupid but plain idiotic if you ask me.

What I am talking about is like the movie "Being John Malkovich".  What? You never saw that movie starring John Cusack who is a floundering puppeteer who can't make anything of his career until a midget door on the 7 1/2 floor of some obscure office building allows him to enter into John Malkovich's brain and "become" him then only to be dropped out onto I-95 in New Jersey?  If you haven't seen that movie then you won't get what the Greek Girl is talking about.

What if you really could?

Here's what I am talking about.  With being the 9th most powerful person you could do just about anything.  John Malcovich is famous and all, but really wouldn't you rather be in the head of at least one of the top-10?  In my version of Being Mark Zuckerberg I would find a portal in the back of Kohl's right near where I get my K-Cups for my new Cuisinart Keurig Machine.  Then I would enter into the mind of Mark Zuckerberg and start work on making a special Facebook App that would be sent out to everyone on Facebook to come and "like" Ava Aston's Facebook Music Profile.  (click here to do so now).  This would immediately send several hundred million people to subscribe since I would also suggest it as well, (remember I am Mark Zuckerberg and people do what I tell them.  Just look at Obama's election.  Hello...?!?)

Then instead of going out to hunt bison or some free-range Buffalo like he swore he would do if he ever wanted to eat meat again, I would hire Chef Ramsey to cook me a dinner with Simon Cowell from American Idol and the X-Factor.  Of course this would be a dinner that Jillian Michaels would approve of - because you know the Greek Girl loves to eat healthy.  We would enduldge in a nice conversation about this amazing recording artist I recently found on Facebook and that she needs a "record deal" and that since I am not a "musical genius" like Simon is, that he should instead take her on as part of his record label. Then I would whip out my trusty iPad with the desktop image of Ava set as my desktop image and show Simon her Facebook page and how it now had million's of followers (since I just promoted her well me, with the new app I built).

Then with Simon eating out of my hands and wanting to sign on I would then insist that a private jet be sent out to her right away and have her flown back to LA where she will sign the papers and be given a handsome signing bonus sponsored by me, "Mark Zuckerberg" in the sum of "made out to cash" and in other words just send me the bill, it's on me.  This would allow her the ability to promptly record a whole new Album under Simon Cowell's guidance.  It would allow Ava to record with some of her favorites, Goo Goo Dolls, Sting, Daughtery, Mariah Carey, Kelly Clarkson and Rob Thomas.  I would of course note that two of whom are artists he helped discover on American Idol.

Now I know the tricky part is, I would have to get out of Mark Zuckerberg's head just in time to get on the plane to meet Simon Cowell in LA but not before Mark Zuckerberg knew what had just taken place.  So once Simon and I were off in our respective limo's I would have to jump out of his head.  The great part is that instead of being dumped off on the side of some highway in New Jersey like John Cusack, I would be dropped off in the Bliss Day Spa in Soho NY.  There I would be treated with the best services a girl could hope for, obviously paid for by me through Mark Zuckerbergs account, of course.

Then as the limo arrived I would be whisked away and off to LA to meet Simon Cowell and begin my worldwide whirlwind of a career as a rising superstar pop/rockstar.  Autograph's for everyone and charitable causes would begin as I would donate everything I earned by giving back to so many that are in need.  See I wouldn't need anymore of my royalties with the 1 million shares of Facebook stock I would've just wrote myself to have because when Facebook goes IPO next year I will be loaded to the gills.

But since I can't be Mark Zuckerberg and I am not on my way to LA to meet Simon Cowell (at least not yet anyway) I am stuck here like John Cusack trying to make it as a puppeteer.  But instead I'm trying to make it as a rockstar.  So, until I get my mysterious Facebook stock donation or Simon calls me up, I am working on getting my Kickstarter campaign funded. Who knows, Maybe Mark Zuckerberg or Simon Cowell will read this and want to pledge the remaining $15,000 to my campaign or better yet just sign me already so I can make some new music and kickstart my career into the stratosphere.
(A girl can dream can't she?)

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

Click the banner to pledge to my album ~ You get my Music with Each & Every pledge!!

Click here to learn about my KickStarter.com Campaign and how you can get involved.

Before They Were Rockstars

Even Lady Gaga had a past before her fame

One of my favorite things people say to me is, "Don't forget me when" or "Oh great, I can say I knew you when."  Or like what I call pre-recognition which is when I go into a public place and I see people look at me like they recognize me or something. The reason is because to me I feel like they see something in me that means I will one day be "there" and have made it.  The trick is getting there.  We are all on a journey in this life and none of them are exactly the same. Just like none of us have the same fingerprint we all have just as unique a path in life.

Then there are the questions that really get me like when people say to me, "Why don't you get on American Idol" or "you should be on the X-Factor" and my favorite, "You should call Ellen Degeneres.  I hear she is always looking for new music and even has her own record label. Maybe she can put on TV like that Bieber kid."  Then I am left standing there like a deer in the headlights thinking, "Really? Really? Thanks I never thought of that, thanks for the tip" and of course I have to hold my breath and count to 10 before I either flip my Greek Noggin as I play the scene in my head as I grab the person and shake them profusely.

So, because these two sets of questions seem to be what I hear most of when it comes to my overall career I wanted to talk about what it means to be an overnight sensation.  So welcome to Ava's Before they Were Rock Stars 101.

Each and everyone of us know, or at least I hope we know, that before anyone becomes famous and successful as a celebrity rock star they all were something before they hit it.  They all (aside from rebecca black and Justin Bieber) had to have their share of no's and tons of rejection and of course failures.  It's like Thomas Eddison said, "I have not failed; I've found 10,000 ways that won't work."  So, most of us have to work to get to the top.  Or if you are super lucky or fortunate like Justin Bieber or even Brittney Spears to have had parents who helped make it happen or of course have the money to know the right people... otherwise it takes a bit of struggle to get to the top.

I know some will be surprised but even Lady Gaga aka Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta had her failure before her fame.  She was signed to a label and dropped, then picked up and now she's everywhere.

The Goo Goo Dolls... they will never ever leave my ipod.

Take the Goo Goo Dolls (one of my very favorite bands of all time).  Back in the 80's my chiropractor who now cracks my back actually opened for them with his own band.  He was shocked to hear that they actually made it as he thought they were terrible back then.  They were about to hang it up before some college radio station out in California picked up one of their songs, "Name" and the rest is history.

Look at Garth Brooks.  He was washing dishes and working odd jobs in Oklahoma for years to pay for his back and forth trips to Nashville TN.  He was told "no" by so many labels then finally one day, after x number of years he became the highest grossing artist of all time. He has had more number one hits than I can remember.

Shania Twain is considered still to be one of the most beautiful and sexy country singers of all time.  She is also one of the highest grossing artists of all time as well.  Yet before she even hit the stage she was living in her car. That woman literally walked on broken glass to get where she is, she is one tough cookie.

So, unless you are fortunate enough to have the $100+k investor who is willing to back your music project and walk you into Universal or Sony, you have to be on a Reality TV series, be a viral YouTube sensation or do it the old-fashioned way, like me.  The reason I say this is that someone recently was misinterpreting where I was in my career.  Yeah, I have nice social media presence but all of what people see is because I am blessed to have a sweetheart who supports all of my dreams.  He literally creates everything (almost) for my music career.  So it's not like I have a machine behind me.  It's quite literally just the two of us.

That is why when people are asking about my Kickstarter Campaign I find they are confused.  Many are surprised to find out that I am not sitting in my mini-mansion counting my zillion digital downloads.  Nope, not yet at least.  But what I am doing is connecting with my fans the best I can.  It takes a lot of money and hard work pushing through this challenging career as a singer.  So, when I was given the opportunity to record my "first" true album that captures me to the fullest extent I jumped at the chance.  That is why I created this campaign.  This campaign will give me the chance to finally have the one album of songs that I really feel will catapult my music career to the next level.

So, it's essential that all of my fans, friends and family get behind me and pledge even as little as $1 toward this project.  Without having this project funded, I will have to pay all out of pocket to put this album together.  Unfortunately I don't have a financial backer and I am not on a record label.  So it will take a lot longer to get this project done.  So, if you truly are a fan and you really want to see me get to the next level and trust me when is say, I want to pay it forward, then I need you to get behind me to Kickstart my album. Then you can actually say, "I knew her when" and I can say, "I won't forget you when I get there."

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

Click the banner to pledge to my album!

Click here to learn about my KickStarter.com Campaign and how you can get involved.

Open Season

Me learning to shoot a gun. Oh no, better look out now!

It seems this time of year brings out something in all of us that makes it like open season.  No, I don't just mean because Hunting Season opens in NY this week, just in time for Thanksgiving of course.  Nothing like a bunch of drunk hill-billy NY'ers running around the woods in upstate NY with a long-gun while stuffed up on turkey and ham. Okay, if there is one thing the Greek Girl does not go for it's Open Season.  The day you ever catch me raising a gun or any weapon for that matter at an animal is the day you check me into the looney-bin.  Now, don't get me wrong, I am not one to supress the right to own and use a gun.  If someone is up for hunting and that's their thing, well so-be-it, just don't offer me any of your dead Bambi.

But aside from hunting for deer or wild-turkey, it seems the Media has declared it's open season on everyone whose running for president in the GOP (figuratively that is). Everyday we hear on the news that one or the other candidate has some sort of scandal they have to uncover or cover or whatever, it all makes my noggin hurt.  Regardless of who anyone may be rooting for, to me there just seems to be way to much muckery and meanness going around.  I don't know why they can't just talk about the facts without getting all personal and loosing their cool, just sayin.  Of course that would probably be too grown up and since when did politicians ever act like grown ups anyway? ;D

Then you go and look at the news and see that all around the country we've got crazies pouring into the streets with tents and bongo's because they don't like banks or student loans?  It's like some crunchy hippie yahoo has declared open season on the banking system.  What I don't understand is how these idiots occupying every city think they are going to accomplish anything other than annoy the heck out of the rest of the country.  It's so counterproductive it's not even funny.

I just wish it were open season for Ava Aston and that Mr. Brick's had my calendar filled with dates and meetings with record execs.  Instead... he's off cleaning someones antiques and eating the last bits of the McRib's before they disappear again.  If it were up to me, I would be Bambi and every record exec and booking agent would be setting their aim on me instead.  Oh well, until then I guess I gotta keep plugging away.  Back to the salt mines...

The cool thing is that in light of all this chaos and confusion as to what "open season" is taking place this week, I did get a bunch of rough cuts  for the new music I am planning to record in January.  Oh wait you didn't know?  Living under a rock again huh?  Well,  the Greek Girl is declaring her own "Open Season", but this one is in the recording studio.  I have signed a production deal with Killingsworth Studio's here in NY.  They helped me record my song "We The People" and some of the tracks on my album "Gone".  Well, once I get my KickStarter.com campaign funded I will be racing on down to record these tunes.

I am so psyched about these songs I can't wait to share them with you.  On top of that, I am waiting on the final song for my 3-Song EP titled "I Don't Even Care" that I made with my oh-so-talented cousin in Upstate NY.  That one should be out before Christmas - for those of you who can;t wait to download it.  If you want to learn more about how you can help make it Open Season on Ms. Ava Aston visit my Kickstarter campaign now.  Hope you have a beautiful day!

Blessings, Love & Music ~

Ava xox
www.avaaston.com

Click here to learn about my KickStarter.com Campaign and how you can get involved.

Give Him The Boot

What? I didn't see anything?

No I'm not talking about president Obama....  I am talking about Joe Paterno from Penn State.  Nothing sits worse with the Greek Girl than someone who is involved in something like this.  It simply blows my mind how someone can allow such an atrocious act to go unreported for so long and to so many innocent children.  The whole thing just hurts my noggin.

If you ask me all the idiots who stormed the campus of Penn State are just as dumb as Ashton Kutcher for being such a #Twitter #Tool (yeah I said it - so what).  How can anyone in their right mind support someone who didn't stand up for those kids.  Instead he chose to save his friend from being punished.  Needless to say, Joe Paterno should have also been sitting in the back seat of that cruiser with a pair of silver bracelets if you ask me.  The sad thing is, just yesterday before I was winding down I read that there is a probe into other campuses for the same thing!!!  What is this world coming too!?!

I think we need to support the choice to "Give Him the Boot" and kick him off campus, and YES even that bronze trophy sculpted in his likeness.  We can't be continuing as a society to glorify people like him who turn a blind eye.  Our society has become so numb lately to this kind of thing.  It's like those rioters on Penn State's campus were there to "Occupy Penn State" because they couldn't get a bus ticket to Occupy Wall Street.  How ignorant can these people be?  He is just as guilty by allowing it to go on for so long and not saying anything.  It's called being an "accessory" - (Yes I admit it I watch Law & Order a little too much and I was even a body double on SVU once ;D.)  All to preserve a football team... how petty and so very sad.

On a lighter note, you can give me a boot too if you want to!  Instead of kicking me off campus, kick me onto the campus.  What am I talking about...?  My Kickstarter campaign silly, (selfish plug). What, most people may or may not know about the Greek Blonde Girl, is that unlike Joe Paterno who allows bad things to happen to good people, I want to do good things for all people.  One of those ways is by being able to give back, especially to kids/people/animals in need.  However, I can't do that until I move to the next level in my music career. Why kickstarter, why now you may be thinking? Well.... that money tree that I planted in the back yard has not sprouted dollar bills yet. ;D Seriously though, without the assistance of a record label or backing, recording and promoting an album is very costly.

This is why I'm offering Rewards to my Friends/Fans old and new in order to raise the capital to help me make this NEW Album happen, and happen with the means to properly promote it. Up until now everything that I have done has been on a shoestring budget, with little to nothing left for promotion. This project will be the first opportunity to do it right.

So I'm really looking forward to support from my friends, fans and family who all can give me the boot & get some cool Ava loot in return on Kickstarter.  Sometimes, all it takes is a little "kick" to get things moving in the right direction.  Just think, you'll be helping to put one good thing (your happy - go lucky - friendly - squeaky clean - girl next door - who doesn't sing in her bra & undies - music) out there in a world filled with so much "ick".

Blessings, Love & Music ~

Ava xox
www.avaaston.com

Click here to learn about my KickStarter.com Campaign and how you can get involved.

Kick in the pants

Look Out! Or I will Kick You In The Pants!

It seems like everything is so PC these days, you have to be careful what you say. I just hope I don't get kicked off this blogsite for titling my blog "kick in the pants"... Just like Eddie Murphy's producer Brett Ratner got kicked in the pants for saying an "anti-gay" slur.

Speaking of kicking, have you kicked the Greek Girl yet?

What is the Greek girl rambling about today?  I'm talking about my kickstarter campaign. Kickstarter is a really cool website for people looking to fund their own independent projects.  There are all kinds of projects, music, film, watches, just about anything you can imagine.  It empowers artists to kickstart their projects through selling their art in a creative way.  It's quite unique ~ check it out!

Here's my kickstarter link ~  http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/avaaston/ava-aston-new-album

So what are you waiting for?  Lace up your sneakers and give me a good kick!  And... score some exclusive cool Ava Aston swag while you're at it!

Have a beautiful day!

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

Click here to learn about my KickStarter.com Campaign and how you can get involved.

Running The NYC Marathon

Run the race set before you!

As I write this we are coming up on just under 8 hours from the start of probably one of the worlds most famous marathons ever to be run; The NYC Marathon.  This year like some of those in the past it's being called the ING NYC Marathon.  Regardless of what sponsor is hosting the event it's still amazing.  I can't quite imagine any one marathon being any more of a diverse event that brings runners of all kinds together in a tradition of sheer will and determination.

As most of you know, I love to run.  Running to me is heaven, aside from singing and being on stage.  Running is something that is like a drug to me.  I get a rush of endorphins that race through my veins as I rush past the each of my own landmarks and guideposts along the way.  Here in my own neck of the woods I have a certain path I like to take.
I Googled it and made sure it was an exact 5 miles from start to finish.  No, it's not 26.2 miles long like the marathon, it's not like the Greek Girl has enough time in my day to run that far.  Although at some point in my life, I do want to run a marathon for charity.

Now, all this talk about running has gotten my noggin thinking.  Though some of you may or may not agree with me on politics or religion or even have a sense of faith, but there is one thing in the Bible I believe holds true to all of us.  One of my favorite passages goes like this, "Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us" Hebrews 12:1.

So what is my point?  Well, like the NYC Marathon some people run to say they ran it, others win for charity and yet still others run it in hopes of actually winning it.  In the end there is only one real winner.  So why do so many thousands of people line up knowing they most likely may not complete it and especially not win the race?  Because, it's just like life. In life we are all here for our very own reason.  It's reason is as unique as our DNA and we may never know what our greatest purpose or cause may have been until we leave this Earth.

So why do we do it?  We do it because we have to.  We have a driving force within us that says we "must" complete this.  We "must" attempt to be great at this thing that we pursue.  We "must" run this race of our life as best we can.  The sad thing, is that so often many of us give up way before we are even half-way to the finish line.  Like the NYC Marathon many people in life set out to achieve great things and to aspire to a goal. They make New Years Resolutions and promises only to be broken.

That is why, today I am setting out on a new race.  It's the same race I have been running my entire life.  It's the same race, I'm just running it on a different track. For the past few months I have been digging down deep inside to find what really drives me with my music and what my source of hope and inspiration is.  In that, I have truly found that my race in this life is not as a sprint like some others may experience.  My race is taking a little longer than I may have imagined, it's more like a steady marathon.  Many of you already know that my goal is to be a blessing to many people and to do this through my music. It's my dream, my passion, and my purpose to use my God-given gift to be a positive influence and role model to people of all ages though my music, healthy lifestyle and positive attitude. I desire to use whatever monetary gain I can achieve through my music to give back to those less fortunate and in need.  People whom life seems to have looked past, to lift them up and make them feel special, cared for and loved.  This is what is truly in my heart.

As of November 6, 2011 (today) I will begin a 60-day journey of faith and trust as I begin a new leg of my race.  I have started a campaign on KickStarter.com.  The goal of the campaign is to raise the necessary funds to produce and promote my next album by offering exclusive rewards and prizes to people for pledging.  Honestly - if the campaign is successful, it will allow me to record my "truest" album to date.  This will be the one project that will be done without cutting corners, or limitations.  I've been writing, writing, writing, and have teamed up with a very talented producer.  This record will surmise everything I have gone through and come to thus far in my life in the pursuit of my goal.  It will be made without trying to "label" it or make it be something the "powers that be" - ie; the music industry gate keepers think it should be. It will just be me, singing my songs the way I have ever since I was five years old singing with the hairbrush in the mirror.  Honest and true to my own unique musical recipe.  It is with great passion that I'm taking this leap of faith.

The whole purpose of the campaign is to engage my fans and invite them to be a part of this very special upcoming record.  Without the aid of a record label or a fiancial backer, I have been pursuing a career as a recording artist all on my own on a shoestring budget and the tireless efforts of a special few.  Now, I am asking all of my friends and fans to join me in my race.  I want to finish strong and the only way I can is to run it with you by my side.  So, I'm asking you all to take a moment to learn about & share my campaign by going to http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/avaaston/ava-aston-new-album.  Join me in my race and help me make it to the finish line.  It is not how fast you finish the race, what really matters is that you make it to the finish line.

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

Take a minute and learn how you can get involved in my upcoming project through Kickstarter.com