Godwinks

When God winks it's like He is saying, "I have you in the palm of my hand".

When you have a dream or goal, sometimes it can seem like it's taking a long time, or like nothing is happening.  Anyone who knows anything about Greek Girl knows that I have been going after my dream and goal for a long time.  Yes, even your "Happy the Glass is Always Full Greek Girl next door" can come down with the blahs every now and again.  Happens even to the best of us.

Well this weekend I performed at an event in NJ where Governor Chris Christie was speaking.  One thing you might not know about me is that I got my start performing by doing National Anthems.  Starting with High School sports games, College and local events.  Then I got my courage up and started reaching out to Professional Sports Teams.  I got a reputation for showing up on time, singing it on key, respectful (that's without a lot of crazy ornamentation that dilutes the original melody of the song for anyone who might be wondering), and for doing it in the time they asked for, either 90 or 120 seconds.  One of the teams I developed a great relationship with was The NJ Devils Hockey Team.

Back to present day, Saturday at the event.  Someone I had not seen in over 10+ yrs. wasn't aware that I was performing.  When I started singing in his head he went "That's AVA!"  He recognized my voice.  After I was done I went back to my seat at a table in the front.  So I'm sitting there waiting for the program to begin and I see a face I recognized scooting up to our table with a Great Big smile on his mug.

He said "Do you remember me"?...  Talk about a Godwink.  One of my very favorite books is "Godwinks" by Squire Rushnell.  If you've never read it, here's my short interpretation: It illustrates through a series of unique stories from all kinds of different people in different situations and walks of life - that although at the time we might not see it, God always has us in the palm of his hands.  He is there lining up the details, arranging things, the right people, the right breaks, all of it.  He knows the end from the beginning, and when you look back on a situation it is clear that God was there all along.  Some might brush these stories off as coincidences...  but when you have an "ah ha" moment about a person or situation looking back on it, that at the time was difficult or confusing.... you have a feeling, a knowing a peace.  It was God, and all along he was there giving you little winks of encouragement, as if to say "I'm here, trust me, I have you in the palm of my hand."  If we watch for them we can spot them, it's amazing to have these moments in our lives.

After pursuing something for so long, something that I know was put in me for a reason, that seems in the natural to be taking way too long...  what happened Saturday for me was a total Godwink.  Turns out that smiling mug was the very same guy who used to book me to sing The Anthem for the NJ Devils.  To have a person from the past who has not heard me sing in over 10+ years, not have any idea Who was singing, to hear me sing and "recognize my voice" from the way way way back of the ballroom.  To be excited enough to walk all the way up to the front of the room, seek me out to tell me - for me, that was confirmation.   It was like God saying to me, "Chill out Greek Girl, I have you in the palm of my hand'.

There are times today when it can be hard sometimes "not" to be discouraged.  Things are going faster, the world is getting crazier by the day, and all too often we are bombarded with so much of the bad news that it can be hard to see the "good".  In these times, it is more important than ever that we keep on the lookout.  Remember the one who cares for us, loves us, is there with us.  Holding and guiding us, Godwinks like a little smile from heaven signaling everything will be alright.

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

Bad Day

So my manager Mr. Bricks asked me what my blog was going to be about today.  I told him the title was "Bad Day."  Mr. Bricks then asked me - "Bad Day? So what is it going to be about?" I know why he was asking. Mr. Bricks is very worried I am going to go all negative in my blog posting. No worries.  Not happening.

This week I posted a couple of positive quotes on my Facebook page from one of my all-time favorite books, "When God Winks"  by  SQuire Rushnell.

‎"Shoot for the moon, and the worst that can happen, you'll land among the stars". Tony Orlando

‎"Destiny is not a matter of chance. It is a matter of choice. It is not something to be waited for. It is a thing to be achieved". William Jennings Bryan

I always try to find the positive in everything I do. However, I am no Blonde Greek Pollyanna. That's an oxymoron. All Greeks have opinions and we need to express them - good or bad. I feel that you don't have to ruin someone else's day just because you are having a bad day. Like wise, you can't let someone else ruin your day either. You alone have the power to make it a good day or bad day.

Remember that song "Bad Day" a few years ago from Daniel Powter?

I love some of the lyrics to that song! Like the title of my blog today,  "Bad Day" by Daniel Powter sounds negative, but really it's not. It's all about turning things around. Yes, we all have days we'd rather forget. But there is nothing going to be gained by having a pity party. In those tough times you need to find a reason to buck up, pull yourself up by your bootstraps, or however you want to say it.

Some times those so-called bad days will be days you can laugh about later. Case in point, my initial meeting with my manager Mr. Bricks. We met at Felidia Ristorante on East 58th Street in the city. It's a nice italian place with great food. (of course, because they have a woman head chef - just sayin') Anyways, I'm not going to lie, I was a little nervous meeting Mr. Bricks, because we had spoken on the phone a few times before and I could tell we would work well together. I wanted the meeting to go well.

When Mr. Bricks showed up the first thing I noticed was he had forgotten to mention on the phone that he had one lazy eye. - Ok, I am not a judgmental person - I can deal with a manager with a bum eye.  I also remembered he was wearing black jeans and the whitest shirt I had ever seen.

Well, as you can imagine I had to sit on my hands and just try to not talk, talk talk and dominate the conversation. I'm very good at doing that! I also didn't want something silly coming out of my noggin. Silence was going to be my approach.

Mr. Bricks was talking and eating and somewhere along the line a glob of marinara sauce, about the size of a 50-cent piece landed on his shirt - and he did not notice.

Now in a split second decision I had to decide do I tell him and risk embarrassing him? Or do I just shut my pie hole and pretend I don't see it? I know, I know I do normally pride myself on always trying to do the right thing, which would have been to tell him so he could have possible treated the stain immediately. But that time I chose to keep my yapper shut. I didn't tell him. Truth be told, I think even Stevie Wonder could have even seen it! It was a giant red glob of marinara on a crisp white starched shirt - I was dying inside. I didn't know whether to laugh or cry, I chose neither.

After lunch was over we talked for a little bit longer. My eyes were torn. I did not know what to look at. I did not feel comfortable staring at his lazy eye. I did not want to look at the marinara experiment now growing on his shirt -- so I concentrated my gaze just above his right shoulder. It gives the illusion I was looking at him, but I wasn't really for the two reasons I just stated... it's a trick I learned in acting class!!

Later that night Mr. Bricks called me. He said, "Well I have bad news Ava. It's not a good day for me." I thought for sure he was going to then say, after thinking it over I decided not to represent you. But instead he said, "It's not a good day because I just ruined my favorite white Claiborne shirt - but good day for you, I would love to represent you!" Woot Woot score one for the Greek Blonde Girl!!

I truly believe other managers would have handled it differently. I think they might have been embarrassed when they finally realized they just sat through an entire meeting with a new client with a side of spaghetti clinging to their shirt. Then they would have just passed along their bad day on me by saying they did not want to represent me - even though it had nothing to do with me - but was all about their bruised ego, sloppy eating habits and ruined shirt.

Having a bad day is all about how you handle it. How would have you handled it if you were in my sneakers at that first meeting with Mr. Bricks and the now infamous marinara sauce incident had happened?

I like the way Mr. Bricks handled it. Oh and now I  just make sure I ask for a bib for him whenever we eat at Italian restaurants.

Blessings,

Ava

xox