Wednesday 25 May 2011

Green Eggs and Ham - Kicking the 'G.W.E' style

I think my love for the colour green, can really be blamed on my love for Dr. Suess', Green Eggs and Ham. As a kid, I used to always read that book, and whilst I'm a little bit reluctant to try green eggs and ham, (have any of you?), I do have a lot of green in my wardrobe. I love green. I love to wear green, except on my face. 'Green with envy', is definitely a universal, fashion faux pas. The 'G.W.E' style. It's not a good look on anyone.

Maybe I'm one of the lucky ones who doesn't really buy into the 'green with envy' look. But then I think to myself, 'isn't that a choice that WE make?' I've never felt jealousy towards other peoples' good fortunes, happiness, rewards, or successes. If anything, their successes are really inspiring to me. I look at it more like, 'Wow! She did that!' or 'That is so amazing for him. I'd love to do that.' I mean, why waste your time and energy on being upset, or not happy that you don't have what the other person has? Wouldn't it be so much better, and much more fun to be inspired instead and then go make it happen for yourself - whatever it is that you want for your life?

In the music and acting world, sadly, there are too many people who sport the 'green with envy' style. And I've seen how much it consumes them, that they forget all about themselves, their story, and what they want, cause they're too busy being upset, catty, or bitter about someone else's life. It's tragic. I just wanna give them a big hug and nudge them, and say, 'stop crying over spilt milk, and focus on yourself instead.' But I am not an agony aunt, and you can't rescue everyone. You can only try and rescue the ones you care about. Most of these 'G.W.E' peeps don't have a clue who you are, but yet are so quick to be 'green with envy'. I don't get it, and I never will.

Envy is such an unnecessary emotion. It hurts, it pinches, and it can really throw off your focus. All those kids who bullied me in school, actually chose to wear the 'G.W.E' look about me. But the challenge for me, was to not let them and their shenanigans, get to me. At least I can be in charge of that!

There will always be those who choose to follow the 'G.W.E' motto. But I let them be who they want to be, and I keep being who I want to be. Even though sometimes, it can hurt, I don't let it hurt too much to make me upset. I just shake it off and focus on something that makes me smile instead. I'll just keep on being me, and that means being happy with my journey, and being happy for other peoples' happiness too. And all those chicks who try and stare ya down in the casting rooms in L.A or London - it doesn't bother me. I just keep smiling back at them. I'm not perfect, but I'm an individual and I don't have time to play games or worry about whether one breast implant is sagging more then the other or whether the girl next to me is prettier or younger. I'm happy with what I have, even if it isn't perfect. lol Imperfect is perfect and a lot more interesting. That's what Guy Ritchie once said, and I couldn't agree more.

A few years ago, when I was in India, writing and recording with A.R Rahman (Oscar winning composer of Slumdog Millionaire), I stayed at this really swanky hotel near his studios. And everyday, I had a butler, Charles, who would be at hand if I needed anything. Charles' lived in the slums, had a wife and 3 young boys, and despite the financial hardship, he would always look so pristine in his uniform, and have the biggest smile on his face. He was a genuinely happy man, always radiating with such warmth. And then and there, was the only time I wore the 'G.W.E' look. I thought to myself, 'he who has nothing, is the happiest. Why can't I be like that? Why do we always want more and not be content with what we have?' I was definitely green with envy. I want to be like Charles, cause the 'S.M.I.L.E look' is timeless, and very fashionable everywhere. And guess what? It doesn't cost a fortune either to wear.

Yours Always,
The Girl In The Pink Glasses xo

*'Superheroes' out on June 6th. Click here to pre-order & receive your free gifts: Pre-Order Superheroes

Wednesday 18 May 2011

Superheroes Alight!: A Song Blog Dedication

Lady Gaga may have her monsters, but I have my Superheroes. And some might think it's cheesy, but it's not the cheesy approach I was aiming for when Boots, Jeff and I wrote Superheroes a couple of months ago in la la land. 

We all want to be loved, and adored, and even though love is a universal language, it can also be a very complicated matter sometimes. In fact, even Shakespeare said it: 'The course of true love never did run smooth.' I asked myself aloud, when we had the guitars out in the studio...'How do people fall in love? How do people find love?' And then I thought of you guys, my beloved fans who I have the biggest crush on. lol 'How do my Superheroes fall in love?' and then it hit us in the room..that's it...that's what the name of the song should be, and we then began to write the song. An hour later, we had what we hoped, was a hit on our hands. And it reminded me...when something is so easy, when something naturally happens, it's meant to be. :) Writing Superheroes just fell into place so easily, and how awesome to think that you guys inspired us to write the song. 

So here we are! Pre-Order time of the song you guys chose for me to release. I couldn't be more happier and more excited to give this song to you. I hope 'Superheroes' will find it's way into your heart and the hearts of other peeps too. I don't know what will happen, but if I've learned anything from my superheroes, it's that, anything is possible if you dare to believe. 

A dear friend of mine, who I'm lucky enough to have on my team as well, once said to me: 'Record companies will come and go, but your fans are always there for you.' So true, and for that I am truly lucky. I don't ever take that for granted. The big record companies want quantity, they want numbers...but a fan isn't just another number. A fan is someone who witnesses the journey of another person's life: their ups and downs, and their achievements and helps make their dreams come true...that's pretty big stuff. I am a fan of my mother. I am a fan of Olivia Newton John! lol I am a fan of my superheroes, too. 


On a side note, last night was a bit tough. One of my good friends found out she has advanced breast cancer. I was so upset, thinking, here I am always wanting more with my career aspirations when my friend is fighting for her life. I was doing some hardcore thinking and reflecting. And then my twitter screen popped up suddenly with notifications and all your tweets of positivity, encouragement and support came through and I could smile again. That's what a 'superhero' does - picks you up when you need to be helped, and that's why I will always love my superheroes. My dreams are their dreams, and their dreams are my dreams too. I'm really proud of the community we have on my facebook and twitter pages, and that is all down to them. There's not enough good peeps out there, but I'm lucky they're all on my pages. Lucky me! 


So here's a little something for my superheroes to keep. Tuck it away in your wallet or pocket and pull it out when you need a hug or a smile, a cheer or warm thoughts coming your way...


You make this heart beat
You make each new day complete
You make the sun shine so bright even when the clouds are trying to cover up the big blue sky
You make me smile, you make me laugh, you make me remember that I am alive
Everyday, you cheer me on, telling me again and again, that I am strong
You're not just another number, or another stat
You have hearts that beat just as brightly and just as fast
I hitched for a ride, and you cared enough to pull up aside
and together we drove off, on this crazy ride, heading for the sunrise.
It's amazing what happens when we both believe
Our hopes, our dreams, so clear to see
that love, and faith, it never leaves
The ups, the downs, the twists and turns
the joys, the laughs and the tears that burn
But the sun will shine as long as you're there
Anything is possible, for this I swear.

'How Do Superheroes Fall In Love?' Don't ask me, ask my superheroes... 


Your Always,
The Girl In The Pink Glasses xo

Tuesday 10 May 2011

Things That Make You Go Hmmm...: Everything Happens For A Reason

The trials and tribulations of the stories of our lives. Sometimes we stop and wonder why some things have happened to us, why we met some people or wonder what purpose a certain person had with coming into our lives. Some things are in our control, and some things are just not. I heart my life, for everything that it is, and for everything it isn't. I heart my family, my friends, and my love for all things creative in acting and music. For me, such questions like, 'Why did I fall for that guy?','Why didn't I get that part?', 'Why did that agreement not work out?' or 'Why did that friendship or relationship not work?',  have cropped up from time to time. But the answer is in the previous line: time. Time is amazing. It reveals all the answers we're dying to know immediately but can't find out what it is just yet. My mother always told me, 'don't rush the answers, if they are not ready to be revealed to you. Just live your way into them, and the answers will be revealed.' Don't you just hate it when your parents are actually right? lol ;) (Let's not even go to the 'I told you so' moments with them. lol)

I wrote a song awhile ago called, 'Save You For Another Day.' It was about one of my dearest friends. (We're still good friends and he knows the song was written for him too). I just adored him...but at the time he was in a relationship, and then when he was single, I was in a relationship. Our timing was way off and it repeated like this back and forth. lol But I knew we had met for a reason - the right reason, and his friendship has definitely made my life that much more brighter. :) As crazy as this may sound, there is joy and bittersweetness in things that can or cannot be, but if I've learned anything in my life, I've learned to be happy that it did happen, no matter how great or crap it was. I'm glad I went through the awkward teenage years, it's taught me humility and never taking anything for granted. I'm glad I went through those bullying years. It's made me stronger, and has given me a sensitivity in treating others the way I'd want to be treated. I'm glad things never came easy to me. It's taught me to appreciate hard work, and makes those moments of when I got a part, or when a song turned out perfectly, all the more sweeter. Life has never been boring as a result. But I guess, it's only moments, weeks, months or years later that we can laugh about it, or reminisce or learn from each experience. 

I had my heart royally broken some years ago and I just couldn't see at the time that it was a blessing in disguise. Looking back now, it was the right thing to have happened. I can look back on that relationship and smile about the good times we shared, laugh about the sillyness of it all, and the wisdom to know that I'm better off not being in that particular relationship. See what time does to you? It actually teaches you a thing or two and hopefully helps you from not turning into a cynical person, but rather a more wise and hopefully humorous soul. ;) My dear friend, Josie taught me that it's how you react to things that really counts. You may not be able to change what has happened, but you can alter the way you react to what has happened. Now why didn't I think of that years ago? lol I guess that's what good friends do - help you find yourself again after you've tripped up or fallen. 

We all have our good days and our 'not so good days' with work, school or in our personal lives. And on those 'not so great days', they may feel like the longest moment in our lives, or the worst thing that can happen. But next time you have 'a not so great day', take a step back, take a deep breath and then find the courage to tell yourself this: 'It may not feel like it now, but things CAN only get better.' Being in an uncertain and elusive industry that I'm in, I keep telling myself that during the challenging times, and it's that hope and faith in myself that has got me up to this point, and will also help me get to the next point on this journey. :) Great things in our personal lives and in our work or dreams we aspire to making come true - don't happen over night. It just takes a bit of time to make those momentous things happen, and when they do, it'll make the moment all the more sweeter. 

I can name a few things which I'm so glad that did happen: my first record deal, Scorpion King 2, The Colour of Magic, Couples Retreat, Pixelface and of course, Waterloo Road. It brought me all the love and support of you guys...

Everything really does happen for a reason. ;) 

Yours Always, 

The Girl In The Pink Glasses xo

Wednesday 4 May 2011

You love me, You love me not. Either way, it's really ok.

I love the colour red. I think Olivia Newton John rocks, and I love some of the renditions of cover songs on Glee, (no matter how cheesy some may think they are). I love Alexander McQueen or give me a tartan gown from Vivienne Westwood any day. I'm not into the whole 'unce, unce, unce,boom, boom, boom', clubbing thing, I like long walks with a view. My idea of pure bliss is reading the Sunday paper, with a cappuccino, laying lateral on the couch, with the tv on some Sunday afternoon special, but that's just me. This is who I am. But the way I feel, and think, and my personal choices doesn't make me a bad person, and whether you agree or disagree with my beliefs or choices, doesn't make you a bad person either. We all have our own individual tastes and personal opinions, right? :)


I'm not gonna lie, I'd love it if everyone liked me and thought I was talented, and unique, - we all want to be liked and held in high regard. So where do the 'haters' fit into to all of this? I'm sure some of you have seen on my facebook or twitter pages from time to time, some negative or disrespectful people leaving comments for all of you to see, and in the hopes that it will upset me. Well, hopefully, you guys know me enough to know that 'sticks and stones may break my bones, but names will never hurt me.' I don't give attention to them, cause a life is too precious to waste energy on those that try to seek out and bring others down. I don't know them, and they don't know me. It's one thing for someone to write in to me and say respectfully, they have a different opinion on my music or my acting or on me generally, and that's totally ok. That is their opinion, whether I agree with them or not, I respect it, and I for one will not be rude to them for feeling differently. But it's another, when someone writes in and says something slanderous when they don't even know who I am. And it's when things like that happen to any of us, that we should just treat it as if it's a speck of dirt we just found on our clothes. What do you do? You try and scrape it off or dust it off with your fingers, right? And then, you carry on with your day. The 'dirt' on your clothes will only leave a 'stain', if you allow it to stain. I decided a very long time ago, back to my bullying days, that I was not going to let all the negative, non constructive comments, 'stain' this gal's soul.

Not everyone is gonna get what each of us is all about. We all are our own unique 'novels', with plenty of stories to tell and future stories to unravel and to be told...each 'page', each 'chapter' in the book of our lives, represents our own path, - our own journey. Every day I'm creating a new page in "The Book of Karen David". Some pages are good and some pages just totally suck. 'But that's what makes the journey all the more interesting', as my dear father says. With each new day, you start it off on a blank canvas, and 24 hours later, you've got another page in the book of your life. When I think of it this way, it really makes me want to make the most of each new day. Yeah! 'Carpe Diem!' Some people (Johnny Depp, and Angelina Jolie) even have this phrase tattooed on their bodies as a reminder. lol :) As each year goes by faster and faster, I find myself living each day to the max, and always being grateful for the new day to come. It can be exciting stuff guys, if YOU make it exciting and rewarding for yourselves. Only you can be in charge of that, and that is definitely the beat that I march to every day of my life. 



I always did love George and Ira Gershwin's classic song, 'Let's Call The Whole Thing Off'': 


You like potato and I like potahto, You like tomato and I like tomahto
Potato, potahto, Tomato, tomahto, Let's call the whole thing off




But I'd like the last line above, to instead say, 'let's NOT call the whole thing off.' Cause at the end of the day we should all celebrate our differences...it's what makes us, - us. ;)


Yours Always, 


The Girl In The Pink Glasses