You Can't Do That

This is how I roll!

So if you have been reading my blog for any amount of time one thing you should know is those are words best not said to me, because telling me that "I can't do something" is just fuel for my Greek Girl fire.  Seriously though, don't you just love how when you set out to do something big or hard there is usually someone around to say something to that effect?

Sometimes these people think they mean well, but really if you ask me it is more because they gave up on something they were not able to accomplish at one point or another in their life and so they are now the new cheerleaders for "playing it safe".  What they often times turn into are bullies.  Hello... can anyone say annoying?

With me it is the fact that I have been going after my dream and goal (music and acting) for a long time.  Did I mention it has been a long, long, long, time ;) ?  Some people choose to give up on things and start to say things like: "it's just not meant to be" or "it must not be meant for me, if it were going to happen it would have happened by now", and yada, yada, yada.  That might be all good and well for those people, and that is fine for them.  I'm wired a little different, I'm Greek which is also another word for stubborn.  See when I set out to do something no matter how long or how hard it is I stick with it until it is done.  It applies to everything I do from my workouts to my career pursuit.

Personally I think that is one of the problems we have in society right now, too many people think if something is too hard it's not worth doing or pursuing.  People are so used to having instant gratification, getting things "Now" that they forget the value in hard work.  They don't remember that when you work hard to earn something you appreciate  and savor it.  You do not squander it or opportunities.

Back to the story... so last week I had two auditions for National Commercials two days in a row.  Being that summer is usually slow, this was a good thing and I wanted to share it with my facebook peeps.  Well two girls I went to high school with (whom apparently have not left) girls I was not even friends with more acquaintances decided it would be a good idea to mock the fact that I asked my friends to pray about it.

So I did what any good Greek Girl using her coconut would do... I banned and blocked them from my page.  Really who has time for nonsense?  Life is too short and too busy to waste energy on people who are ugly inside.  Apparently the fact that I am still going after my dream is funny to them.  One of them even went as far as to send an email to my official website a few years back saying very sarcastically that she didn't remember my having blonde hair back in high school, then giving the year.  Like she was telling on me or something... lol

Last time I checked coloring your hair was not against any law, besides the fact that anyone who knows anything about me knows that I pick on myself all the time for all sorts of things and have never presented myself as a natural blonde.  (Hello - see blog about it)  She also mentioned a National Commercial I was in where I was playing the daughter and she insinuated the woman playing the mom was around my same age, again like she was telling some big secret.  Here’s a quick Greek Girl lesson in English:  Acting = pretend. ’nuff said.  You can be young and play old, or old and play young, that is the beauty of acting.  I didn't cast the commercial, if I look right for a part whatever that part is and the casting director thinks I'm right for it, who is some misery factory to say otherwise? Also a topic I have blogged about (see Birthday blog)

I just find it silly that people waste so much energy on telling others what they "can't" do.  Say la vie, if someone wants to give up on something that might be the right choice for them.  For me it's finish or die, in the words of one of my heroes Sir Winston Churchill "Never, Never, Never Give Up."  That's just how I roll and I don't see what the big whoop is if I choose to persevere despite what it might look like in the natural.  I guess what irked me most was the fact that they were mocking my faith.

Why did I take the time to tell you this?  Because something else I am very passionate about besides my career endeavors is helping people to see their potential.  Far too many people don't realize how strong they are.  So when the bullies in life show up telling them "You Can't Do that" they give in or it starts to sink in.  I'm here to say to you whatever you're trying to accomplish whether it is to start a business, get a degree, get in shape, be an astronaut for crying out loud whatever it is, ignore the bullies.  You CAN do it if you stick with it and do not give up.

"When push comes to shove no matter what it is, when the going get tough you have two choices: Give in or Dig in." ~ Ava Aston

Have a beautiful day!

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

I Don't Even Care About Toddlers and Tiaras

WTH??? Seriously???

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.

Hope you enjoy the song & the game! Go PATS!

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