We The People

What would they be thinking now...?

There's an election coming don't you know? What? You mean you didn't know the election for President is only 100 days away... Whatchutalkingaboutwillis?  All joking aside, this is kind of a big deal.  At least in my coconut it is anyway.

I mean I know it seems that most people in our culture are too afraid to offend anyone, so they tend to go by the old rule don't talk about the three dreaded topics: Religion, Sex and Politics.  Or I often hear people say "the news is too depressing, so I just don't watch it."  Maybe that explains why more people seem to know what Kim Kardashian was wearing last week when her "scared face" pic hit twitter with her bo Kayne West, what stars are coming next season on "Dancing With the Stars", the contestants on "American Idol", or most importantly that Kristen Stewart just broke Robert Pattinson's heart - gasp - can you imagine.   Seriously my friends, this just makes no sense to me.  In fact it is almost enough to make my noggin explode.

I don't really care what political side of the isle anyone leans towards.  We're all free to think and believe what we want.  The fact of the matter is good men and women fought and died for our freedom.  They fought and died so we could have the freedoms we have, and that includes the freedom to vote.  It's maddening to see so many in our culture today with their heads pretty much buried in the sand when it comes to our political process and what is actually going on in our country.

To me that is spating in the eye of our founding fathers.  Our country was intended to be "By the People" and "For the People".  But how can we have a political process that works if half of the country knows more about show's like "Toddlers and Tiara's" and yet has no idea that US Taxpayer Funded Aide was recently given to the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt in the amount of $1.5 Billion Dollars (yes I said Billion with a B).  Why are we giving "foreign aide" to Egypt anyway, because last I knew there were plenty of places right here in America that hard working American's tax dollars could have been much better spent.  Although that's probably a whole other rant altogether.

What I'm saying is no matter who you are or what your personal beliefs are, all of us, we are All Americans.  We should all at the very least pay attention and educate ourselves as to what is going on in our nation.  I don't mean just listening to the news because Lord know they all have their own agendas.  What I mean is, listen to and read multiple sources of information.  There are plenty of places to go to gather information and decide and digest the information for yourself.

It is our duty as free Americans to educate ourselves on the candidates, and what they stand for.  Not listen to what is being fed to us by either side of the media, political slogans, platitudes or negative campaign ads.  It is our duty to know ourselves, our values, what our own individual belief systems are, and vote accordingly.  Then and only then will we have a political process that works the way it was really intended for the People and By the People.  Until then, we have a Washington that is broken, politicians who stay in office for way too long in many cases, and a public who is not taking control of the very freedom that was laid out for us so very long ago.  This saddens the Greek Girl...

That's why I wrote my song titled "We The People".  Because I love my country, I value my freedom, and I respect the men and women who died for my right to vote.  So I'm on a mission to share my song with every American before the coming election.  Please visit   www.missionwethepeople.com and help me to "share" the message of the song and video with Americans everywhere by visiting and sharing in all the usual places.  Because at the end of the day whatever you believe, we are All Americans and we are All "We The People."

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

Going For The Gold

Are you going for the gold....?

After much hullabaloo it seems the official start of the Olympics is finally "almost" upon us.  No one could be more excited then the Greek Blonde girl, I mean competition runs in my blood.  I'm GREEK, Hello we invented the Olympics.

Although I never really realized it until I was an adult that probably explains my love for all things athletic, and my love for sneakers of course.  I've always been super competitive, love the thrill of sports, and have always had the eye of the tiger when it comes to pushing myself past imaginary physical limits set in my mind.  The Olympics are so exciting for me, because you can literally see the incredible things the human body can do when a person sets his or her mind and most importantly their "will" to accomplish something.

All the way back from the original Olympic games in Athens, to Jesse Owens reigning at the top in Berlin in 1936, to the unbelievable Ethiopian Marathon runner who ran barefoot in 1960 in Rome, to the USA Basketball Dream Team in Barcelona in 1992, all the way up to Michael Phelps in 2004... the Summer Olympics are sure to produce moments that will live on forever.

It leads me to wonder though.  Sure athletes spend an entire lifetime working and training in order to go for the gold.  But what are we as everyday people working and striving towards?  Are we going for the gold, or are we just skating by?  I ask this only because it seems like in our society today many people are glorifying many things that I would not consider to be gold.

We as a society glorify mediocre pop stars, actors, movies full of negative themes, sensor almost everything to make sure it does not "offend" any one race, religion, or sexual orientation.  We have taken God out of our workplace, schools, and anyplace else it might be able to "offend" anyone.  It is clear to see the disastrous results doing so has done to our character.

Exactly what are we telling future generations and the Olympians of tomorrow?  What kind of message does it send?  Hard work?... Why work when you can have everything Now?  Everyone gets a prize for "participation".  There are no "losers" in life, right? Reality shows can make you famous for literally any reason at all except for actually having any talent whatsoever, and that hard work isn't necessary.  Just have a sad backstory, and dress as sexy as humanly possible no matter how young you are, and you can have and get whatever you want.  People, I gotta tell you, there are days anymore when I seriously want to grab my fur~babies and hide under the blankets.  The world is getting crazier and crazier by the day.

Personally I feel it's time for a cultural revolution.  I long for the days when people were actually going for the gold each and every day in their lives.  When people did the right thing even when no one was looking.  When people helped and lifted each other up regardless if there were a "benefit" in doing so.

With that being said, I'd like offer a challenge to my blog reader's.  To consider the coming Olympics a chance to take a stand against mediocrity.  Be a reminder to people around you that anything worth having takes hard work, that hard work is and should be rewarded.  That not everything in life is or should be instant.  To go for the gold each and every single day in our own lives.  To be the light and the difference in someone else's life, to do the right thing, and for goodness sake... keep your dang clothes on! ;)

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

Made In China

What do you get when these uniforms are designed in America, made in China and worn in England? A big fat muckery sandwich.

Was it just me or did anyone else's noggin about explode when you heard that our United States Olympic Team's uniforms were being made in China??? Really...? China of all places. Now not to sound too Donald Trump on this topic, but for crying out loud, China!! Don't we owe them enough money already? Do we need to give them more business by sending them contracts to make our Olympic uniforms of all things?

Am I just being too sensitive because I'm Greek? I mean we did invent the Olympics and all, and it is a sacred tradition.  Nope,  I don't think so.  I mean if Ralph Lauren wanted to outsource they could of at least outsourced to my fellow Greeks seeing as how they actually need the money.

All kidding aside, the other thing that I can not believe I'm about to say is that I actually agree with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) on this topic.  They should put them in a pile and burn them.  I mean we have how many people out of work in our country?  It's not like Ralph Lauren is on the verge of going bankrupt of something... Outsourcing is bad enough by itself, but to outsource the manufacturing of our own Olympic Uniform?  I'm still not sure I can even process this in my coconut.

Now okay, I get it that it's Ralph's prerogative to run his business how he sees fit, but the least he could've done was made that horse of his smaller than the American Flag on the uniform.  Makes you wonder what would Abe Lincoln or our Founding Fathers say if they were around to see the day when Our United States Olympic Uniforms were being made in China and the Flag was smaller than the logo of the designer who made it?

At the end of the day, I suppose as crazy as it is... what matters the most is that our team is represented and how well they will do.  The "opening uniform" is not the most important part of the games, thank goodness.  It could be worse though, they could be wearing Burqa's like the Saudi Women's Soccer Team.  You know, that makes me wonder, I don't think Ralph Lauren made them, but I bet they weren't made in China.... Just sayin'.

I bet these weren't made in China...

Blessings, Love & Music ~
Ava  xox  ;)
www.avaaston.com 

Oldies

Musical Perfection, those were the days.

What do a Camaro, Dunkin' Donuts, Rock 'n Roll and Sitcom's all have in common?  Drum roll please..... They all started in the 50's & 60's, and ~ the Greek Girl loves all of them.

I know, I know, of all the random information I have spouted about me in my blog that is probably the last thing you were expecting to hear.  Seriously though, in my humble Greek opinion regarding the music industry: as Ricky would say "Lucy, someone's got some splaining to do."  I mean what is going on behind the doors at record labels these days anyway?  It's almost as if their noggins have turned into mush.  Because I just can not imagine that they are going to be playing Justin Bieber in forty years.  (sorry Biebs)

For real though, there is just something infectious about that music.  Back when a song was a song, you know the kind that tell a story.  An infectious hook (one that you can actually understand the words to) and best of all people could actually stand there and sing them from beginning to end without auto-tune.  What a concept... Yes you do detect a wee bit of sarcasm spewing from my coconut today.

What makes me want to talk about the amazing music from the 50's & 60's?  Well, being on a road trip over the last week I decided to wander around my Sirius Radio for a change and stopped on channels five (the 50's on 5) &  six (60's on 6).  Being a singer having studied music my entire life, of course I had heard the music before, many times in fact, but I don't know... maybe it was just the contrast of what I'm am so used to hearing lately.  Whatever the reason, I can not stop listening to it.  You just want to wiggle when you hear it, you can't stop it.  Something will start tapping: your foot, your hands, your heart starts pumping and before you know it you have a huge smile on your face.

Musical perfection, period, over end of story.  All I can say is that I pray and aspire to be even half as good of an artist of any one of the many from my list of favorites.  With that being said, I have to borrow a quote from my mom on this one.  "They just are not making them like they used to."

Just a few of my favorites: (in no particular order of course, just randomly as they roll into my Greek noggin - except Sam Cooke, my fav!)

*Sam Cooke, Shierelle's, Brenda Lee, Elvis, The Everly Brothers, The Supreme's, The Four Tops, The Four Seasons, Frankie Valli, Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, Doris Day, Patsy Cline, Johnny Cash, Fats Domino, Jerry Lee Lewis, Dion, Betty Everett, Mary Wells, Ronnie Spector, Maurice Williams and The Zodiacs, The Temptations, The Beach Boys, Tina Turner, Marvin Gaye, Bobby Darin, Smokey Robinson & The Miracles, Otis Redding, Chuck Berry.... Just to name a few ;)

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

Vacation

On my way to Iced Happiness in the sand...

Many of you know the Greek Girl likes her flip-flops accompanied by a large iced-coffee in my clutches.  What makes it better is when it is in conjunction with a trip somewhere that involves sand between my toes.  Yes, I know what you're thinking, "didn't you just get back from Florida like 2 months ago?" The answer is: Yes.  Yes I did.

What you don't know is that because I was there for business reasons, and ended up rescuing a dog while I was there, then I had to leave a day early to get home in time for an audition...  Unfortunately I did not get enough vitamin D therapy.  So since the 4th of July is right around the corner, what better time to head on back down to Florida, see some family & make up for lost relaxing, right?

Well you may be wondering, what equates to fun in the sun for me? I am going to keep it simple.  By simple I mean: flip flops + bathing suit + iced coffee + sandy beach = Happy Greek Girl!  I am going on vacation, and I don't want to work any harder than I should.  So if you need to find me for the next ten days or so, I will be either in the ocean or lying in the sand, and most likely holding one of my favorite beverages in my little Greek Hands.

Hope you have a fabulous 4th of July, get to spend some quality time with friends & family, see some gorgeous fireworks, and do whatever makes your heart happy!

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