Look out Phil or you might get what's coming to ya!
Okay, it's that time again and this Greek Girl is itching to get her flip-flops out of storage. So, if that Punxstawney Phil doesn't do his job right this year, I might just have to slip my sneakers on and march my little butt down to pay him a visit and show him what a good kick boxer I am by plummeting his little head into a snowbank.
Now, I know that may sound harsh and normally I am all miss animal lover activist. But before you go calling the ASPCA or PETA on me, think about it for just a minute. Wouldn't you much rather be having some fun in the sun wearing flip flops vs. having your fingers turning blue (like mine)?
Insert Greek Philosophy:
"It is much better to live in a warm climate and travel to the cold and snow when you want to, rather than live with the cold and have no choice. "- Ava Aston Winter - 2012
Now granted old man winter gave us a break on the white crap this year, but DANG it's been frigging freezing here lately. Seriously, I'm sleeping dressed up in a an outfit like nanook of the north over here. Sweatshirt zipped up with a hood, sweats, t-shirt, socks, fur slippers... and I am not ashamed to admit I even sat on the couch watching a movie with my blanket coat on over all that stuff under a blanket a few times. Can anyone say, ridiculous?
What can't I do that I want to in this stinking weather?
1. Go get a hot cup of magic a la Dunkin Donuts anytime I want
2. Go on a date with my sneakers running outside with my iPod
3. Wear Flip Flops
4. Lay in the sun (of course I wear sunscreen, keep your pantaloons on)
5. Even eating ice cream is not fun in the winter
What CAN I do in this freezing weather?
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
All I have to say is that Punxsuatwney Phil better not see his shadow on Thursday February 2nd, because if he does... to quote the title from the film that robbed Viggo Mortensen of an Oscar for his role in the film "Eastern Promises" back in 2008 - "There Will Be Blood."
So I'm flipping through the channels since I've already caught up on my favorite soap opera "Days of Our Lives", the election results are in, there's nothing on HGTV that I haven't seen, and my beloved (Superbowl bound) Patriots do not play until tomorrow... so, what else is the Greek Girl going to do? We're snowed in here, didn't you know?
I was sitting on my couch, all cozy in my Ricky Ricardo style pajamas (yes, I wear those. Doesn't everyone?) I had to stop for a minute because my TV remote clicker thingy landed me on the program of "Toddlers and Tiaras." I have watched it before, but each time it is on I can't wrap my Greek noggin around what I see and hear.
WARNING: The Greek Girl's filter has come loose again.
Okay I have one question... Where the heck are the parents? Oh wait, they are standing right there, stage left, handing their precocious 3 year-old "go-go juice" and cheering them on. Can anyone say, unfit parent?! Now, I am well aware that we are living in the "NOW" generation, and that with Youtube - literally anyone can become a "star" - for literally any reason - regardless if they have any sustaining talent. Look at Rebecca Black. On one hand I actually feel sorry for Rebecca...but on the other hand, I think she had no business at 14 years of age playing rock star!
I think part of the reason so many children stars have gone on to lead such troubled lives is because their young impressionable noggins we're filled with other people telling them what to do, what to say, how to talk, how to walk, where to stand, etc. at such an early age. Their brains never had a chance to mature and ripen naturally. As we get older there is already plenty of other people trying to tell us what we should do or be, or can't be or can't do. Kids need to be kids, they don't need that type of criticism at such a young age.
Some TV producers noticed what a whack-job most of those stage moms are that they now have a new reality show called "Dance Moms" - it's all about a bunch of whack-job stage mothers from Pittsburgh who spend thousands of dollars on their children to be verbally harassed, ridiculed and screamed at by an overweight lady who looks like she has downed a few more McRibs than my manager Mr. Bricks. This woman wouldn't know a ballet shoe if it kicked her in her own butt! So where is child protective services when you need them? Sometimes this Greek girl thinks these parent's brains have followed Elvis right out the stage door and have left the building!!
Ok, back to Toddlers and Tiara...hmmm where shall I start?
GoGo Juice: a mixture of Red Bull & Mountain Dew.
Hello!!! Red Bull to a child by it self is a bad thing, now add in a little Mountain Dew and bam we have a young Norman Bates in the making. I'm a grown adult (or at least play one on TV) and I do not even drink Red Bull. My question is, "what in God's name is wrong with these mothers?And, why on earth are people glorifying these television shows? Both, "Toddlers and Tiaras" and "Dance Moms" are two of the highest rated shows on cable TV. How can anyone think that torturing these little girls is healthy or productive? What they are doing is creating little monsters. Yes I said it, so what?
The problem I feel with these types of reality shows is that children are learning the wrong messages. They are taught that they first need other's approval and that they need to win the title of "Miss Grand Supreme" in order to feel good about themselves. And worse, you have parents who put all of their hard earned money into competition fees, $1,000 "Wow Wear" costumes and feed them liquid speed in a bottle just so that their child wins another $24 trophy. Some mothers admit they feed their kids up to 15 pixie stixs right before their child goes on stage so they stay hyped up long enough to win.
When all is said and done you know what you get? You get a bully. Spoiled rotten little self-absorbed brats, that go to school thinking the earth rotates around them (because they won the Miss Grand Supreme title at a recent Glitz pageant) so they push other kids around mentally and at times, even physically.
So, where are the parents? It seems that these days they are either standing there on the sidelines pushing the "gogo" juice down their throats or they are absent. This leads to my next bone of contention.... the "Twilight Moms". Don't know what that is?... Well that is a 35+ year old mom who oogles the 16 yr old boys in the "Twilight Movie Series". Nothing wrong with that - right? Wrong! Somehow I think if a 35+ year old man was oogling a 16 yr old girl he might land himself behind bars, just sayin'.
It's like there is an entire generation of unsatisfied moms out there pushing their kids into pageants, music, dance, literally anything and everything to get them "famous" to fulfill some sort of twisted need that they never fulfilled before they decided to have kids. How about just letting kids be kids? What ever happened to that? There are milllions and millions cans of playdough going unsed each year. We need to let kids grow and learn to develop their strengths, gifts and abilities - naturally vs. pushing them into the limelight so they can fulfill their own selfish desires. Sad, very sad. Where will the rocket scientists, Dr.'s, lawyers, firemen, policemen, and future business owners and entrepreneurs of tomorrow be? They will be young impressionable minds waiting to get on American Idol or America's Got Talent - only to be told they sound a little pitchy, their act is total rubbish or that they have no talent. Great character builders for our youth - Not!
Nothing irks the Greek Girl more than someone telling you what you should, can, or can not do! Telling this to someone young or old I believe leads to unhappy people, and in many cases, especially in youth, it leads to bullying. Mr. Bricks aside, I do not like bullies, and yes there are even a fair share of grown up bullies running around the world. Trust me, the music/entertainment industry is full of them. They think they know what is best for the buying public and that every artist should be a 15 years-old.
This is why I wrote my newest song, "I Don't Even Care." Because in my mind, no one can ever really tell you what you can or can not be. Why give them that power? All of your self-worth should come from the inside and not from what a panel of judges think, what a dance teacher thinks or what a record label executive thinks. It's all about standing up for your dreams and believing in yourself - no matter what your critics have to say.
Disclaimer: My critiquing these moms is not me being a bully, but rather pointing out that they are abusive bullies them self, and should be stopped.
It's 8pm and the coin toss is just minutes away. With millions of Tebow fans around the world Tebowing in their living rooms I sit in the dark clutching my Vitamin Water Zero as I wait to watch what I know is inevitably about to occur: a debacle on the Denver Bronco's. Yup, you guessed it, I am a Patriots fan. Sorry..... and even I love Tim Tebow, he is amazing. However if it comes down to the two teams, I just have to stay tried and true to my boys in silver and blue.
Here we have football from the mind of a girl, (a Greek blonde Girl that is):
1st Quarter:
Tom Brady (aka Mr. Bunchen) strides out leading his team to the field. Denver wins the coin toss. Meanwhile I indulge in a healthy snack platter as I watch the Patriots chalk two touchdowns on the board faster than my manager Mr. Bricks can scarf down a McRib.
Commercial break. OK time to check my Ebay app on my iPhone. Low and behold I'm about to score a touchdown of my own as I pitch my bid on a bottle of my favorite Channel Parfum, Allure. With only 1 minute to go I end up winning! TOUCHDOWN!
2nd Quarter:
The Brady Bunch takes it to the Bronco's and I think I see Tebow underneath about a dozen Patriots, inside voice - "please God make them stop stomping on Tim Tebow". I know this is so hard, I love my Pats, but I love Tim Tebow too.... rrhhrrh I almost think the Patriots started to feel bad too - as the Bronco's scored one touchdown. Then only to answer them back Mr. Bunchen (Tom Brady) decides to toss in not 1 or 2 but 3 more touchdowns. So I get bored for a minute. I decide to prank Mr. Brick's by sending him a pic of me with my hair pulled back and tell him I cut it into a 'bob'.
Halftime -
Mr. Brick's texts me in a total frenzy. He insists on Skyping me from across the globe to see my new "hairdo". Ut Oh.... he does not sound amused.... yup he's pretty much flipping out. I text him and say I was only kidding. Oops the Patriots are back on the field now.
I tell Bricks not to worry and I will skype him after the game. The phone rings. It's him. Oh geeze. Can't a girl watch a game without being interrupted. It's okay because at this point I feel so bad for the Bronco's I can't take it. So I answer the Skype call. Mr. Bricks who is visiting his ailing Aunt in east-yu-peepee is nearly freaking out before I show him I would never cut my locks off. He lets out a gasp, and it's a good thing I told him or it could have landed him into a McRib induced coma.
- Now back to the game.
Tom tosses yet another TD pass. In goes the Patriots into a 42 to 7 lead. Oh and the Bronco's score a 3 point field goal. What's that? Someone tagged me in a political photo on Facebook? Okay, gotta login now and delete the tag... grrr. Meanwhile I stop to see Laura Kaeppeler from Wisconsin was just crowned Miss America, (love the dress btw).
Back at the game.
Here we see Tebow tebowing yet again but this time its because he's getting up from being sacked his 6th time of the game. What in the world? I just can't wrap my noggin around this. I have to have a hot beverage. So I pour myself a k-cup cup-o-coffee/hot chocolate and top it off with whip cream. My Brady Bunch is destroying the Bronco's & I feel so bad I can't even enjoy it!
4th Quarter:
I text Mr. Bricks to see if he's watching the game. He say's "no. I don't like soccer." This leads me to believe he's kidding. But then a few texts later I get to the bottom of it and realize Mr. Bricks failed in gym class. He's not a sports fan. That is unless you consider Nascar a sport. He's got a thing for Danica Patrick apparently. I am starting to think he spends more time watching her car go round the racetrack more than he is trying to get me my record deal....
Then before you know it, it looks like the Patriots have just about wrapped up what is by far one of the greatest games I have ever seen. 45-10 in a blowout game that set all kinds of records, now if we can just have a repeat next week. Don't get me wrong, I am all for Tim Tebow. He is an amazing athlete and most importantly a class act. It was really hard to watch my favorite team beat the Broncos so badly. However, in sports just like in life sometimes we're up and sometimes we're down. The most important thing to remember is to always be who you are no matter what is happening on the field. Just like the sports casters said, "Tim Tebow" will be back next year with a vengeance. In the meantime it's on to the playoffs and God willing, onto the Superbowl for my Brady Bunch!
There is nothing more embarrassing than watching not one but three"love scenes" in a movie knowing that your mother is only seats away from you... Yeah, tell me about it.
It all started when I was taking a shower, (get your head out of the gutter) and I began to feel woozy. I couldn't quite breathe when next thing you know I was on the bed soaking wet. I started seeing spots when all of a sudden everything went black. I passed out. Not exactly what I call a fun way to start your weekend. My hero sweetheart who was in the other room came running in to catch me and drag me out of the shower and bring me back to reality. (true story).
That's when I realized I wasn't doing so well. The Greek-Girl was not doing so well, I had the flu. The flu for those of you don't know is not a fun thing to have. You end up sick, dizzy, hot and cold, achy and shakey. Let's just say when they were handing out the free flu shots at all those clinics and even in the mall, I was too busy updating my Twitter and Facebook status. Too bad I wasn't too busy because Mr. Bricks had me booked out on a world-tour, just sayin'. Regardless, I missed out and now it was too late.
That was when my mom decided it was time to get in the car and come over to care for her baby-girl. Yep, she did. She loves me that much. But the problem is as I mentioned in previous blogs whenever she comes over, she finds something to fix. Well this wasn't one of those times. This time it was having to "paint" the sill of my half-walls in the entrance of my home. "So, when are you guys gonna ever paint these things? They look terrible" she said. Then without skipping a beat the same hero who saved me, my sweetheart dropped his chin, breathed in his pride and disappeared only to return with a can of paint and a brush. I said I don't think it's a good idea to do that now. They didn't listen, but my mommy did make me some chicken and rice soup (Campbell's of course).
Well, after the paint was applied that was when my mom decided to lean on the wall and press her arm into the paint. Shocked I just looked at her and said, "see, I told you it wasn't a good idea!" Then a new coat of paint was applied only to be ruined by, "me" who unfortunately was drugged up and woozy and hardly knew what day it was. So now, one of my favorite sweatshirts was ruined. Thanks mom! Now, not only is my half-wall mucked up and I am out a sweatshirt but I am so sick I can't even tell you what day it is.
Another hour goes by. We are all quiet when suddenly a loud yell, "Dang-it!" comes from the other room. Yep, my sweetheart just set his hand right onto the wet paint. So now we are three coats into this debacle and it looks worse than before. Finally, the following day of this weekend of bonding, and after deciding I'm feeling somewhat okay, I tell my mom we have to get out of the house. I can't take this anymore. "So, what do you want to do?" she asks me. I told her I was dying to see the movie, "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo."
A kick-butt movie that is not intended to be watched with your mom however.
So there I was just feet from my mom in a dark theater when out of nowhere the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo disrobes and proceeds to get it on with Daniel Craig. HELLO!!! That was when I suddenly felt my fever break as a cold shock hit my heart and I suddenly swallowed my tongue. This was not your family flick to say the least. Needless to say, the drive home was delightful as we all tried to justify how good the film was despite the various love scenes.
Once we were home and all of us were trying to get over the awkward feeling of silence when we turned on the TV and found the Republican Debate on ABC was on. Ahhh... now we can use some intellectual television to scrub the mind of any memory of what we just experienced. Okay, not exactly the college championship football game that I know Mr. Bricks would be watching to see any cheerleaders at half-time, but it was still like watching a sport sorta. All I care is that it scrubbed the awkward moment from the night.
The Political Sporting Arena...
So, lets just say, this is one of those moments where I have to chalk it up and say, 'not again'. The next time I see a sign that says, 'Get your Free Flu Shot' (I don't care if it's $250) I am getting one. The last thing I need is to share an awkward moment in the dark with my mom and my sweetie by my side again. Let alone pass out in the shower and have my mom come over only to being a gorrilla episode of HGTV's DIY or Kitchen Crashers. Mom, I love you, but... I may have to have a restraining order on you or call Time Warner Cable and have HGTV removed from your TV, (that is of course after I win the HGTV Dream-home that is in Utah.)
Blessings, Love & Music~
Ava xox :D www.avaaston.com
PS: I already claimed ownership of the HGTV Dream-home so don't waste your time entering the contest, just download my music instead... :o)
Sometimes we make a choice and the choice can be simple like do I want coffee or tea? Red or white wine? Hit the snooze button or get up? (I hit the snooze). Most of us live in the real world full of choices and not in a 30-minute reality series world where the only choice they seem to have to make day after day is who to get into a fight with and cuss up and down. We all make choices throughout the day. I heard we make thousands of choices every single day. But, it's those choices that we ultimately make that matter.
What am I getting at? Well, the other day while I was exchanging the 1980's outfit Mr. Bricks got me for Christmas this year, a friend who is really close to me and I were talking about the really tough time they were currently going through. They were sharing with me all of their troubles and that they had made some really bad choices. It broke my heart to hear what they were going through. All I wanted to do was wrap them up in bubble wrap and protect them so they wouldn't hurt anymore. But I couldn't. That wasn't an option and besides, the sales clerk at Kohl's would have charged extra for all of the bubble wrap, just sayin'
So, instead of safety wrapping my friend I tried to express some Ava's Greek wisdom. Ultimately, I said, it came down to one thing. In life we only truly own one thing. Our choices. Our choices are what define and shape us. For example, in Mr. Bricks' case the choice of going to McDonald and eating a Mcrib and an order of large fries every day is defining and shaping his larger than life frame. Oh, umm, sorry about such a graphic mental image. I hope I didn't burn your eye balls. That's not exactly what I'm really talking about, but hopefully you get my point.
We get to choose our thoughts and which ones to let wallow around the deep dark crevasse of our noggin and which ones we decide to ixnay and discard. With that said, we all can choose our words and speak whatever we feel about those thoughts. We can choose what emotional response we will have with that thought or series of thoughts. Then we can choose if we are going to respond to that thought and how it makes us feel. The choice is ours. We get to decide these things.
The key however that most people miss, a key that even the Greek Blonde Girl misses from time to time, is making sure it's the right time. Often we jump the gun and overreact to these thoughts and feelings. Sometimes, if the timing is not right, the result can end up hurting us or those around us. Or sometimes we hesitate. This can have the same effect that can lead to regret and anxiety.
I'm not trying to be a Debbie Downer because it's not all doom and gloom. There are always plenty of those instances where the choice we make is just at the perfect time. These are the magic moments that we find God in the details. When we act out of patience and faith through prayer. It is through that faithful obedience when God shows up and makes things work out in our favor. Yep, chalk up one more for the Big guy. (No Bricks, not talking about you!)
God does this so He can get the praise and thanks for our being blessed. The interesting thing is when you see this happen it can come in so many forms. What we may see as a bad thing for getting every yellow light on the way to the movies may have been instead just God keeping us from being in a terrible car accident by delaying our timing to an intersection he knew a speeding car would be coming through.
What's my point? Well, with the year 2012 coming upon us and 2011 passing away for ever quickly by the minute, we are given the opportunity to sorta "start over". (When I was a tow-head little Greek girl in elementary school we called them do-overs.) With each year we are blessed with a sort of "reset button" that allows us to make new promises to ourselves and those around us. The problem is by mid-January most of us always forget what we even said as our New Years Resolution.
So, this year, as you draw a close on your past and keep an eye on the future, keep in mind that the choices you make when rooted in faith, you will find that timing is everything. God will show up when you least expect him too. He is always there to keep us in the palm of his hand, no matter what the "circumstances" may look like. The person you need to meet will come into your life. The friend you never knew you had will suddenly appear in your life or maybe the job you crave will be offered to you. And if it doesn't - just know that there is a reason. And that reason is called God's timing.
Remember as we head into a new year that the only thing that you truly own, are your choices. Denver Broncos quarter Back Tim Tebow kneeling down on one knee is his choice, but his timing is perfect because in a world where it seems like bashing Christianity is a new Olympic sport, Tim has made a conscious choice to acknowledge God's blessing in a very public way and all of the media is talking about it! Besides, his choice hasn't seem to hurt the Broncos' record either! Just sayin.
