Get Me to My Safe Space

To celebrate Veterans Day the Mr. (an Air Force Veteran) & I went to see the film Hacksaw Ridge. I was moved and saddened by the stark contrast. In the week or so that has followed I have watched a tragedy unfold across the country that sadly has proved my observations to be correct. 

WARNING: This blog is NOT politically correct. In fact sharing it on Twitter may result in account shut down. Which would also prove my observations to be correct, since Twitter is now in the censorship business. They seem to have no problem allowing child porn, and individuals or groups who post all kinds of hateful barbaric ideology. Yet if one openly posts the truth, or something considered "conservative" in nature... whoa nelly. That simply cannot be tolerated and must be banned.   

A very mixed up generation is coming up. Entitled, angry, arrogant, and hateful. It's OK though because Lady Gaga wrote a song telling them they were "Born this way". A generation who simply cannot handle opposing viewpoints. They demand their way be the only way, and must shut down all opposition.

While those who serve and who have served in our Military make sacrifices for others. Many have made the ultimate sacrifice. They work together with all kinds of people from different backgrounds, religions and walks of life. They unite to achieve a common goal. They learn many valuable lessons in the Military, one so missing in today’s culture, is learning to put others interests ahead of your own.  

The Greatest Generation stopped a mad man from taking over the world. They literally marched to hell and back in the worst of conditions in the worst of times. Now we have a generation of whiney babies demanding safe spaces, canceling college exams, having cry ins, protesting, out marching around destroying other people's property and "killing people" because they "don't like" an election result?

So let me see we bully people because we don't want to be "bullied"? Hmmm, watch the news for a few minutes. I'm not going to even begin to express the things my inside voice is saying because that would definitely get me banned from Twitter. Let me see, in the last ten days or so there have been people who oppose the election results who think it perfectly acceptable to do things such as:

Block an ambulance from passing, resulting in the death of the patient inside.

Standing outside a car full of "Trump Supporters" threatening to set it on fire.

Pulling a man (a supposed Trump supporter) from his car in an intersection in broad daylight. Beating the living daylights out of him while someone films it, loots the car then take off with it, leaving the man in the street beaten and bloody. 

Where are the news media on this? Where are all the MSNBC, CNN, and ultra left wing "journalists" or rather shall I say "personalities" (because we all know that journalism is the farthest thing from what they have been doing for the last decade and longer). Where are they? Why are they not speaking out against this disgusting behavior? I'm willing to bet that if Trump supporters where out there doing these things to "Hillary" or "Bernie" supporters in mass, it would be splashed across every TV news headline, and newspaper in the country.  

This is not acceptable in any way, shape, matter or form, to anyone, anywhere, period. We are all Americans, we ALL bleed RED. Trump is President, get over it, grow up and move on. No one acted this way when Obama was elected, and trust me there are many who did not support him or agree with anything he did. Did any of the people who didn't support him go out and create anarchy having temper tantrums in the streets about it? Didn't think so. Ironic the ones pointing the fingers calling Trump and his supporters hateful are the ones doing the destruction. We have a word for this in the Greek language, "Hypocrisy".

See this is what happens, when we celebrate mediocrity, everyone gets a trophy, everyone is encouraged to do whatever they "feel" like, and there are no consequences for our actions. My mom who is definitely not politically correct and has no filter says "We outta take those trophies they got for doing nothing back, and when they block public access or disturb the peace, we should bring out the fire hoses".  

Seriously though, people really need to take a deep breath. The season for giving thanks is upon us. People should stop and be thankful for the fact that they were born in the freest nation in the history of the world. A nation that even gives them the freedom to act like juvenile delinquents if they want to. They should stop to remember the men and women who serve and who have served to protect the flag that flies to keep them free.

God help us. I pray that people wake up to their idiocy. Go see the movie. It's a refreshing step back in time. A reminder of a few of the things that made America so great. May we once again return to those values and ideals that made us a shining city on a hill.

Blessings, Love & Music,
Ava xo
www.avaaston.com

Oh No Not Again

So I was getting ready the other day to head Upstate NY where I would be working on my new music video for, "I Don't Even Care" when I was shocked to read the latest news blurb.  It turns out, yet again in an unfortunate scenario a young and aspiring artist jumped to her death off the George Washington Bridge.  What's so awful about this is that she did it out of being "bullied" in the workplace.  She apparently also had a history of being bullied early on in both high school and while working as a model.

Now you might be wondering why Greek Girl is blogging about such a sad story.  Well, it's simple: I HATE BULLIES!

Here's my point:  Unless you have heard the song you wouldn't know, "I Don't Even Care" is written about this very issue.  In my own life I have faced bullies for as far back as I can remember.  It wasn't because I came from a lower income family or that I was the little "fat-kid", it was with my music.  Even now I face it with the know-it-all so-called "experts" and critics who say I am too old to have a music career, or that my political views are wrong and even that I am a Christian.  I mean what is this world coming too?

Take this girl who killed herself for instance.  Here she is trying to build a life in the Fashion Industry.  Meanwhile her colleagues are tearing at her and beating her up verbally so much that out of some twisted sense of revenge and self-pity she ended her life.  Why?  What is going on in our world that we are so obsessed with having to make other people feel bad about themselves in order to puff our own selves up?  What is it that we must despise people and treat them so poorly that they would do something such as kill themselves?

I know all too well what it's like to face these giants in life.   I am often faced with being unaccepted, mocked or ridiculed and I am not even in any major spot-light like the typical "celebrity".  It's for this reason I wrote this song and am now working with my husband to develop the music video.  It's with a passion I want the world to know it's not okay to bully people and for those who are being bullied they can stand up and they are not alone.

For whatever reason we as a society have gone in the wrong direction. On one hand we celebrate people because they can sing or dance, hit a ball or run the fastest and even have lists for the "100 Hottest" of whatever.  Meanwhile the media is out there doing everything they can to destroy the very people they are putting on a pedestal.  So it's a twisted web people have been indoctrinated into.  We praise those for superficial greatness then can't wait to tear them down.  Everyone is vying for the most attention and greatness.  Everywhere we turn there is another reality show promising to make "stars" out of anyone and everyone and that it doesn't take hard work to succeed.  Then we glamorize the demise and destruction of these same "stars" and like cannibals we feed off of and relish in the idea of watching someone fall and fail.

My question to you is, "when are we going to start turning the tables?"  When are we as a society ever going to wake up and realize we need to celebrate hard work and intelligence.  We are becoming a self-obsessed society that is focused on stardom and pick on and beat up on the "nerd" who will most-likely one day be your boss and write your paycheck.

God made us all with unique talents and unique abilities and unique looks.  Each of us is made special for our own purpose that God has for us to fulfill.  But because we live in a society full of celebrating the wrong kind of success most forget or lose track of what great things they can become and never know why God put them here in the first place.  We need more Doctors and Rocket Scientists not more Justin Bieber's or Kim Kardashian's.  On top of that the last thing we need is more Michael Vick's and cheaters like Lance Armstrong.

Now some of you may say "What about you Greek Girl? Aren't you chasing the same stardom?!?" But it's not the same thing.  I have been working as a singer and actor for many years.  It's not a pipe-dream or something I want to just "try out".  This is who I am and what I know God put me on this Earth to do.  To sing and perform as a positive role model, to be salt and light in this crazy messed up world.  This is why I am working tirelessly to win in the VeeWall Original Song Contest.  Winning will give me the chance to connect with more people and organizations in an effort to share my message.  It's the same message found in my song, "I Don't Even Care".  You can Click Here to read the entire story about me and what I want to do with my music career.  So, if you want to help me in making a difference and help me start a change in our society,  I would very much appreciate it.  Winning is far more than the prize money.  It is a tool I need to put my message out there and help maybe stop the next bullied person from taking their own life and making a positive difference in a world so full of hate.

Click Here To Vote For ava

Blessings, Love & Music~

Ava xo :)
www.avaaaston.com

Click here to vote for Ava

Am I Ugly?

Am I Ugly?... NO You're not, you're beautiful!

Loyal readers of my blog know that the Greek Girl has been known to temporarily lose her filter from time to time.  Well, I have to warn anyone who decides to read further:

WARNING:  Help, my filter has fallen off and I can't pick it up! That's because my noggin erupted today when I was on Yahoo and I read about the viral "Am I Ugly" videos.

This epidemic is so sad - and yet, so insane at the same time. It really makes my Greek ears bleed.  Is anyone shocked that we have literally an entire generation of young girls and boys growing up with serious self-esteem, image, values and more problems than I can even begin to list here?

Why on earth are these kids growing up so messed up, confused and losing their childhoods? Jeepers, I can't think of one reason.  The reason is, because I can think of a bajillion examples of such positive messages and images for them.  I mean with some top-notch tv shows instilling morals and values into their impressionable young noggins - I can't imagine why they would be so insecure and broken (yep, that was as sarcastic as it sounded.)  Let's have a little look see at a little list of  their favorite influential shows: American Idol, America's Got Talent, The Voice, So you Think you Can Dance, Dance Mom's, So You Think Your Mom Can Dance (coming soon, I'm sure) Toddler's and Tiara's, The Jersey Shore, My Super Sweet Sixteen, Keeping Up with the Kardashian's, Ice Loves Coco, The Girl's Next Door, Khole and Lamar, Kourtney and Kim Take NY, Kendra, Scouted, Bridalplasty, The Dance Scene, 16 and Pregnant, 15 and Pregnant, 14 and Pregnant, 13 and Pregnant, A Kardashian and Pregnant, Teen Mom, I Just Want My Pants Back, America's Best Dance Crew, Jackass, I Used to Be Fat, I Used To be A Fat JackAss, I Used To be A Fat Jack Ass Now I'm Just A Kardashian, Made, The Real World, Mob Wives, Single Ladies, Basketball Wives, FootBall Wives, Boring Golf Wives, Love and Hip Hop, The Real Housewives, Where's My Record Deal Mr. Bricks, need I go on?.....

Oh, and let us not forget the Grammy's this year.  Was it just me or did anyone else have to turn off the TV because Nicki Minaj's performance (if I dare to use that word to describe what she did) burned their eyeballs out?

What on EARTH are we telling kids - and adults even for that matter today?  Has anyone really stopped to ponder this, or do they just not give a crap? Why don't we all just throw up our arms in defeat and join Mr. Bricks at McDonald's for a plate of McRibs and celebrate the decline of our society. What shows like this tell people - whether you want to admit it or not, is that if you do not get on TV, if you do not get "famous"- for literally any reason, then you have no value.  If you do not look a certain way, wear a particular size, wear the right clothes, listen to the right music, do your hair right, and on and on and on - then you have no value.  What is being pushed down the throats of the American public at large is a big giant truckload of Muckery if you ask me.

By perpetually pushing this "you must be famous" gotta get a "viral video" agenda, the entertainment media are literally squashing the heart and soul of an entire generation. Where are the future Dr's, lawyers, rocket scientist's, politicians, engineers, teachers, firemen, police officers, airplane pilots, astronauts, entrepreneurs? For crying out loud a good chef makes over $100,000 per year.  Why, why, why is it that everyone wants to be famous? And why are so many young girls loosing their way and growing up with so many insecurities, hurts and a great big giant gaping void? Well,  the Greek girl is going to tell you why... it's because they are looking to people like the Kardashian's, Nicki Manaj, Katy Perry, Lady Gaga, MTV, Snooki and her slick Jersey Shore cast/bed mates to measure themselves to. Young girls are listening to the words and messages in their songs, watching their videos and their little coconuts are jammed full of confusing messages. So much so that teenage & pre-teenage girls are turning to posting these disturbing videos on YouTube asking if they are ugly.  As Lucy would say, GOOD GRIEF CHARLIE BROWN!!!!

 

Example: Has anyone ever really listened to the words to "Last Friday Night" by Katy Perry?  Mind you, she spoofed Rebecca Black in the video and she even invited the 13-year-old to perform the song with her on stage at a concert this summer. Now I don't know where little Rebecca's mom was, but if she even had only half of her noggin working properly she would not have allowed her daughter to perform that song with Katy.

Think my Greek nogggin has quit working? Not yet -- just check this out, you'll see what I mean...

Lyrics: "Last Friday Night" by Katy Perry

There's a stranger in my bed,

There's a pounding my head
Glitter all over the room
Pink flamingos in the pool
I smell like a minibar
DJ's passed out in the yard
Barbie's on the barbeque

There's a hickie or a bruise
Pictures of last night
Eended up online
I'm screwed
Oh well
It's a black top blur
But I'm pretty sure it ruled

Last Friday night
Yeah we danced on tabletops
And we took too many shots
Think we kissed but I forgot

Last Friday night
Yeah we maxed our credit cards
And got kicked out of the bar
So we hit the boulevard

Last Friday night
We went streaking in the park
Skinny dipping in the dark
Then had a menage a trois
Last Friday night
Yeah I think we broke the law
Always say we're gonna stop-op
Whoa-oh-oah

This Friday night
Do it all again
This Friday night
Do it all again

Trying to connect the dots
Don't know what to tell my boss
Think the city towed my car
Chandelier is on the floor
With my favorite party dress
Warrants out for my arrest
Think I need a ginger ale
That was such an epic fail

Pictures of last night
Ended up online
I'm screwed
Oh well
It's a blacked out blur
But I'm pretty sure it ruled

Now call me old fashioned, but I just don't think a song about hmm let's see, a menage a' trois, drinking, getting arrested, skinny dipping, not knowing what you did because you were so wasted is really a song that any thirteen year old should listen to, or sing on stage for that matter. just sayin. When I was that age I was writing and singing songs about kittens, unicorns and fairies....and I hadn't even met Mr. Bricks yet!

I have a message to young girls everywhere.  STUFF YOU EARS FULL OF COTTON BALLS, and stop looking to these seriously misguided people for your value and self-worth.  You are perfect just the way you are, no matter who you are, how old you are, how skinny or fat you are, what kind of family you come from, and no matter what you look like.  How do I know you are perfect?  Because you are God's creation - and he does not make junk.  Each and every one of us has value, we all have talents, and abilities unique to each of us.  We are all special, regardless of what TV tries to make us think we need to "be" in order to be special.  You are perfect just the way you are.  So shine, be you, and do not let anyone put out your fire.  

I wrote my newest song "I Don't Even Care" because I was tired of people telling me what I was supposed to do or be in order to be successful in the music industry.  I've been at it a long time, and I have still not yet achieved my goals.  However I will not let anyone stop me from being myself while on my way to where I am going.  I am me, just the way I am, and if the entertainment industry does not like it, well.... They can just kiss it.  What I am saying to young kids everywhere is NO YOU ARE NOT UGLY!  You are perfect just the way you are.

Please watch, listen and share:

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

Hold It Against Me

In 3rd grade I told a classmate that he had a pig nose. Thanks to Facebook, my big fat Greek mouth is coming back to haunt me.

I was just checking my Facebook wall and I noticed I had a message. Innocent enough. When I clicked on the message button I did not recognize the name of the sender. Again, no alarm bells there. I have more than 9,000 "likes" and I can't possibly know everyone who sends me email. But when I started reading the email it suddenly took and entirely different tone than most of my fan mail. From the very first sentence it just sounded different.  It said:

Dear Ava, you probably don't remember me but we went to grade school together....

Ok, I just knew it was not going to be your average fan letter. That turns out to be an understatement for sure. The letter went on...

I thought you were the cutest girl in school. I had a crush on you. Did you know that?

Ummm, noooo I did not know that or if I did at the time it has fallen out of my Greek noggin since then. Besides, if I remember right in the 3rd grade I was more interested in My Little Pony than I was in boys. This is where my long lost Romeo's email takes a nose dive (no pun intended) ...

Well one day while we were playing on the monkey bars at recess and since my nose was kinda square in shape you asked me why did I have a "pig nose?" Although you were just a curious kid asking an innocent question, other kids overheard the question and soon it became a nickname that stuck with me all through school. I never forgot that comment Ava.

Oh great I thought. As an 8-year old little girl I ruined some 8-year old boy's life forever!!! My heart sank and I truly felt horrible. When I was in school we called it teasing. Now it is called bullying. And it is a crime. No matter what you call it as I sat there and read the rest of the email I couldn't help but think I was an 8-year-old who should have had a rap sheet. I was horrified. The email went on...

I was looking on Facebook with my wife and coincidentally I noticed that my wife had someone named Ava Aston on her friend's list. That gave my brain a memory jolt. I knew I had heard that name before.  Can you believe you and my wife are Facebook friends? Small world isn't it? I had not seen or heard your name in years. So I decided to look over the profile to make sure it was the same Ava Aston. Of course it was. I must say, I am impressed. You've done good Ava. Geez, a Rockstar? Who knew?

Ok, now I was starting to sweat more than Elmer Fudd at a back yard barbecue. I seriously was thinking this man must hate me for my comment.  He then added,

You don't know this but to this day that is still my nickname, although it has been shortened to just PN (short for Pig Nose) and many of my friends call me that instead of my real name. And yes Ava, it is a nickname I have grown to love because even my wife uses it as a pet name for me. So if you were ever wondering, No I don't hold it against you!!

Ok, wheeew...I feel so much better now. It's not that I have ever lost any sleep or really given much thought over the years to that pig nose question on the monkey bars. But whenever I would see a story on the news about a kid getting bullied at school, I did think about it. Not that I was the school yard bully or that I taunted him with the nickname or anything. It was just a simple nickname that all of the kids at school called him. We went to different middle schools, so I lost track of him. But thanks to Mark Zuckerberg...

I am actually very glad my old friend found me on Facebook. Even if he was mad and had held it against me, it would have give me the opportunity to apologize (which I still did.)  But since he was not mad at all, it was actually a real blessing to learn that the nickname was now a real part of his identity. Sometimes you just never know how a story is going to end up. I am glad this one had a happy ending.

Blessings,

Ava

xox

It Gets Butter

I hate to be a copy cat. But I feel I should also speak up about bullying around the dinner table.  I am proof to say it gets butter.

As you all know, I am very health conscience. But it wasn't always that way. When I was younger I was a little butterball. I did get bullied a bit in school for being a chunky kid. Fortunately for me, my arms and legs grew to match the rest of my body and so the teasing stopped. I'm telling you this because in no way do I want anyone to think that I am making fun of the issue of bullying! Hey, I've been there and  it's not fun.

But now I try to work out everyday and I am very careful about what I eat. I am on stage and in front of the public all the time, so I want to always look good and try to be in the best shape as possible. Bullying still exists with adults. It's not just limited to teens and children. I was glad to see blogger Perez Hilton publicly say he was going to try to not be such a bully to celebrities on his website anymore. The press can also be a bully at times. Although I am not a fan of Lady Gaga, I have seen the pictures of her floating around the internet and the press is saying unflattering things about her packing on the pounds! That is such an uncool thing to say about anyone.

I hope no one is circulating pictures of me saying I've put on a few extra pounds! I'll have to kick their butt, know what I'm sayin'? So having a healthy public image is part of my job description and one of the reasons I have adopted such a healthy lifestyle, but only a small reason.  The main reason I do it is to be healthy and to live as long as I can. Everyone's going to have to put up with this Greek Blonde for a very long time. And Greeks have a very long life expectancy.

That's another important message I would like to get out to everyone, especially young girls. Young girls should know that there are way more important things in life than trying to look like a supermodel. If you want to work out, then great do it to be healthy, not to compete and compare yourself with other girls' appearances. God made you the beautiful person that you are.

All I know is that I don't want to do a 90-minute Jillian Michaels' DVD work-out for nothing. I mean why come close to death 15 times during the work out and then immediately afterwards eat a bag of Nacho Flavored Doritos, washed down with a 2 litre Diet Coke?  Who do you think I am, Mr. Bricks?

Back to the blog....I love butter. I love butter almost as much as I love ketchup. But if I put as much real butter on everything that I would like to, you would see them tying ropes around my body and I would float like one of those huge balloons in The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, I'm just sayin' this girl loves her butter. But as I said, I have gotten smart about what I eat.

So, for my butter fix, I have found a healthy alternative. It's called Smart Balance Light Original Buttery Spread with Flax.  Its delicious buttery taste with 50% fewer calories than butter or regular margarine. (I sound like a commercial don't I?) -- It's delicious buttery taste with 50% fewer calories than butter or regular margarine.

The manufacturer  of Smart Balance Light Original Buttery Spread with Flax has listed some other healthy key selling points on their website:

• Supports healthy cholesterol levels that are already within the normal range
• Made with a unique blend of natural oils that improves the ratio of “good” HDL to “bad” LDL
• 50% less fat and calories than butter or stick margarine
• Delicious, creamy buttery taste
• No hydrogenated oils
• No partially hydrogenated oils
• 0g trans fat
• No palm kernel oil
• Excellent source of Omega-3 ALA (320mg per serving, 20% of 1,600mg daily value)
• Good source of Vitamins A and E
• Gluten-Free
• Gelatin-Free
• Vegan

So if I want some butter on my baked potato I don't feel guilty. A baked potato, as I have said before, is a super food and I probably have 6 or 7  baked spuds a week. Imagine if I had them all smothered with real butter. I would be a real oompa-loompa.

So folks, now you know when it comes to the issue of butter how I roll. I don't do without it on my baked potato, it gets butter!

Blessings,

Ava

oxo