Don't Quit

If you stop Gargamel just might get you, so you have to keep on going!

Did you ever have one of those days?...  Of course you have.  I mean that is unless you're one of the Smurf's living in a cartoon world where everything is drawn out for you.  I mean imagine if you were a Smurf, what's the worst thing that could ever happen?  You get chased by Gargamel?

Seriously though... if you're not a Smurf and you're a real person living in the real world it is highly plausible that at one time or another you've had a bad day.  So what do you do when that happens to you?  Are you the kind of person who just buries their head under the covers to hide until it has passed?  Or do you dig your heels in and push back when the world pushes at you.

Because no matter who we are, where we live, or what we do or are trying to do, there always comes a point where we have to make a choice.  Chose to keep going or give up.  For me there is no other option, I keep going.  Maybe it's that Greek "Stubborn" gene I was born with, you know the same Greek gene that invented the Windex, Acting, Politics, or any of the other cool stuff that came from the ancient Greeks.  Or maybe it's because I have spent my entire life chasing the same goal, I don't know.

For some people it's not that easy.  Some people find out what they are made of early on in life, for others it comes later.  Some, however never discover how strong they really are.  That makes me sad.  Some people give up before they have ever really reached their true potential, and even worse some do the unthinkable, they kill themselves.

How is it that so many celebrities have committed suicide lately?  Some have flat out killed themselves.  Others did it slower with drugs and alcohol and overdosed.  My question is, how is it that so many people with seemingly so much to live for and to look forward to could give up so easily?  I think part of it, well maybe a big part of it is because as a society we are living in very negatively infused times.

The media is quick to prop up, chew up and spit out sensation or celebrity of the week.  While the powers that be are pushing the idea that hard work should not be rewarded and everything in life is fair.  But in reality - life is not fair at all.  The good guys don't always win, and the bad guys don't always lose.  So when life beats down on the people who do not have a strong sense of who they are and where they are going, what happens?  When God has been removed from everywhere he might be able to "offend" anyone, what do these people who do not know where to turn do?  Sadly we see the results all around us.

Many people are so much stronger than then give themselves credit for.  Quick to assume they can't do something, when in reality they have no idea how strong they really are until they push themselves past where they thought they "couldn't" go.  I just have one wish for everyone who is having a bad day... Don't quit.  You might not "feel" like you can do it, you might not see how now.  But if you quit, you will never reach your goal.  If you keep going, there is always hope.

One of my favorite quotes from one of my fitness heros:

"Your legs are not giving out, your head is giving out, keep going." ~ Jillian Michaels

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

I Pledge

"I pledge Allegiance to the FLAG of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one Nation under GOD, indivisible with Liberty and Justice for all."

Now I know what you must be thinking... (especially people who have been reading my blog for any amount of time) "Oh no here she goes again."  You had to know I was going to have something to say about this whole debacle, didn't you?

Have you ever stopped and actually read the words of this simple yet profound pledge?  Most people don't.  Most people just rattle it off without really taking the time to connect with the true meaning of what this pledge actually means.

Let's look at it.  When someone says these words they are saying they will never serve another country and will always stand by it's people.  We acknowledge it is a nation under God - the creator of all of us and provider of our unalienable rights as human beings.  As well, it implies we cannot be divided and all of us have the same liberty and justice.  Yet, for some reason we can't say it in school anymore.  We almost never say it.  Now our country is more divided than ever and our schools have more crime and evil than ever and our courts are more corrupt.  Why?  What is happening?  Where did we go wrong?

In 1942 The US Congress enacted that this would be the official pledge of Allegiance for America and our flag.  It is intended to be a reminder of how important it is and how valuable being an American Citizen really is.

According to the US Flag Code, the Pledge "should be rendered by standing at attention facing the flag with the right hand over the heart. Members of the Armed Forces and veterans who are present and not in uniform may render the military salute. Persons in uniform should remain silent, face the flag, and render the military salute."

However this pledge and the flag of our country has been under attack for many years for a number of reasons.  Most recently I was disgusted and completely appalled to see what has been happening during this election season.  Not only have there been brain-dead celebrities who like drones are making public "pledges" not to their country but to President Barack Obama.  Jessica Alba and many others are literally asking voters to "pledge to Obama"

Jessica Alba Asks voters to Pledge to Obama

I wonder if she supports equal pay on all her films including her own pay? Just wonderin'

Now, check me if I am wrong, but didn't they do the same thing with Hitler back in the 30's??? Look how well that turned out.  Now, I am not saying Obama is Hitler or will ever do what he did.  However from a social standpoint it is just not right that anyone would ever pledge such a thing to any "person".  Yet he doesn't condemn it because I think in his narcissistic noggin he enjoys it.

I guess he must've just forgot.

What bothers me most about this is that not only do these celebrities who go along with the masses of others in order to be seen as "cool, hip or trendy" because Heaven forbid if in Hollywood you are a conservative or even worse a republican and you can never be a Christian because that would be just unthinkable.  Libertarians were probably birthed out of this very need to not be a total lib and somewhat still be seen as "cool" by those who would otherwise blacklist them from ever working again, joking... Greek girl knows the definition.  I guess what they don't understand is that they can't see past their ego and pride to realize they are causing such divisive behavior and being seen by youth as so-called role models and acting in such a moronic manner.  To say it is disturbing to me hardly even begins to cover it.

timing is always key – especially when you set out not to offend people.
I wonder where the apology is for this?

Now, let's not forget.  Last week Obama and his campaign found it was a good idea to create a new flag for his campaign.  Now, even though I am a blonde I am not dumb enough to not realize this is no "official" flag replacement but really??? Not only does this flag look erily similar to bloody finger drags along a wall - a - hem like seen in a most recent attack in Libya, but what's worse is that it includes his campaign logo.

So now you have all of Hollyweird pledging allegiance to their president and oohing and ahhhing over his idiotic and insensitive flag.

Okay, I know what you are going to say "what about freedom of speech"?  Yes, you would be right to ask this.  However, when we have thousands of soldiers on the front lines (not allowed to use Real Ammo I might add) who have sworn to protect and uphold this country and our constitution and to serve under a specific flag, our official flag and our Commander in Chief finds it appropriate to arbitrarily create a substitute flag that suggests a pledge to him?!?! I just gotta ask, what in the hell was he thinking?!?

Back to the celebrities.  Don't they realize what they are doing?  Don't they see how their very industry is under complete attack?  The freedom of speech that they hold so dear is on the verge of being stripped from them.  Because meanwhile as they are worried about free choice, fairness, free birth control and equal this and that, there is a stupid 20-minute film on Youtube called, "Innocence of Muslims" being used as a scape-goat for a worldwide uprising of Muslim extremists who have killed and injured many Americans while attacking and destroying our embassies abroad.   It is so bad of a film and was loaded months before these attacks that coincidently happened on 9/11...  Really?  All the uproar is supposedly due to the offensive nature of this film.  If Obama has his way with his recent apology tour our soldiers will be pledging allegiance to him and not our flag and our Hollywood elite will be completely censored.  That is of course, unless it offends Christians - because that's always okay in their book and by their standards.

I bet Obama would not apologize if this were his campaign flag.

It doesn't take a rocket scientist to realize that this is just another sign of how much out of touch Obama and his swoon of Hollywood elites really are.  It is never cool to change the United States Flag, and the American people do not pledge allegiance to anything but our Country!  So on November 6, let's make sure we tell them just what we think.  Because in my humble Greek opinion... it's a bunch of Muckery!

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

Trending Topics

The whole world was a buzz today because the "trending" feature of Twitter was not working. Now #NoTrendingTopics is trending. I saw that one coming.

OK, as my very first self-appointment of the new year I am appointing myself the Czar of Trending Topics. The entire trending thing has gotten way out of hand. It use to be something or someone could be old fashioned or out of style only if it had been around for years. Now with the interweb thingy, something is outdated if it has peaked and is no longer trending.

Effective immediately I am instituting the following as "mandatory reading" for anyone who is even thinking about wanting to trend a topic on Twitter or Google.

The Greek Girl's Etiquette Guide to Trending Topics  by Ava Aston

1. Weather

If something weather wise is obvious then there is no need to trend it because everyone already knows about. Example: Today we are having a Blizzard here in New York. So there is no good reason for people in New York to Tweet #NYBlizzard. Hello, I can look out my own window! Thank you very much.

2. Sports

Not everyone runs around with their face painted two different colors, because not everyone cares about guys in tight capri pants hugging each other. Not that there is anything wrong with that, but we just don't need a trending topic of which team does it best -just sayin.' So stop it already.

3. Celebrities

If I see a celebrity's name trending, I want to make sure they are dead! No wait, I don't mean I want them dead, I mean there should be no reason everyone wants to talk about a specific celebrity at the same time unless, you know - they kicked the bucket.  If you are like me and you see someone's name trending on Twitter you instantly Google their name to see how they died. So, effective immediately no celebrities names should be trending unless they are dead. The exception should be the name Ava Aston or the phrase Greek Blonde Girl, once It hit the big-time feel free to trend away on those, no need to wait for me to kick the bucket.

4. Animals

You know this Blonde Girl loves her furbabies - all four of those little doggies are my life!  So I can see when the word dog or cat is trending because other people love their furbabies as much as I do and that puts a smile on my Greek mug.  However, I am always suspicious when I see words like Zebra, Giraffe or warthog trending. I don't want to know why. So effective immediately, unless it is a species of pet for your home and it is one that you would let your mother see, it should not be trending. Dogs can be a trending topic 24/7 as far as I am concerned.

5. TV Shows

The invention of cable TV was a great thing. (I can't remember did Al Gore also take credit for inventing cable TV as well?) If there is something we don't want to watch we can change the channel (sorry Rachael Ray) But on Twitter if someone starts trending some dumb random show like, say for example The Rachael Ray Show, then for the next several hours my Twitter screen is hijacked with comments about a TV show that makes my skin crawl. So unless it's about one of my favorite TV shows (Biggest Loser, Days of Our Lives or Joel Osteen) then it can not be trending any more. The exception will be for any shows I am starring or guest starring on.

Oh, and one more new law. Those hashtag thingys ---->  # . Banned forever. I don't roll like that.

Yes, I am the Trending Topics Czar and it is all about me.  NOTE: I learned that line at the Czar training workshop I went to at the White House.  That is what they teach you there -- just sayin'

Blessings,

Ava

xox