Sausage and Cheese

A typical gift exchange party. Not my real family.

What do you do with all of that scrunched up and torn wrapping paper from all of the Christmas gifts? Do you try to recycle it? I'm terrible because I admit - I just toss it away. Same with all of the ribbon and those pretty bows. I know a few people who carefully open their gifts so they can save the paper and bows and reuse them.

So what do you do with those gifts that you got that well, just aren't your cup of tea? I had a couple of gifts I got like that during a friendly white elephant gift exchange with my family.

No elephants were harmed during the writing of this blog

The concept of a white elephant gift exchange is simple. The premise is everyone brings a wrapped gift worth a certain agreed upon value (ours was a $50 limit) Then everyone draws a number. And starting with the person who drew #1, you pick your choice from all of the wrapped gifts. Once you selected a gift you unwrapped it and let everyone see what it is. If you look closely during the game, everyone else is eying your gift, just waiting to possibly snatch it from you when it is their turn. 

Then #2 picks either the gift they just saw get opened or they can select a new gift. And so on with each number. If it was a good item, people would just take it from you rather than risking their chances with the unknown of a wrapped gift. If you had a gift stolen you could then steal someone else's gift or choose one that has not been unwrapped yet.

I thought it was a good omen that I drew #1 and was able to pick the first gift. I'm Greek and everything we do is big, so naturally I picked the biggest present. But when I opened it up I found it was a big disappointment. Inside this big box was a 5-pound generic summer sausage and a hunk of cheese. Not even the good stuff from Hickory Farms! My gift quickly became the punch line for the entire day, as in, "Well, at least you didn't get sausage and cheese like Ava did." Thanks everyone.

There was a lot of strategy at work during the game. Some people who got really nice gifts tried to hide them so they wouldn't get stolen from them. Others used the "no eye contact" strategy. They would refuse to look at the person picking the gift in the eyes in hopes of not having their gift stolen from them.

So as the game goes, we were allowed to steal other people's gifts back and forth up to 3 times. Once a gift had been exchanged 3 times as the Aston family rules go, then you could not steal that particular gift anymore. Most items were in hot demand and exchanged hands the 3 times. Not so much for my sausage and cheese. Although whenever people were looking around as to what gift they were deciding to steal everyone was screaming "take Ava's sausage and cheese" "take Ava's sausage and cheese." No one ever did.  They were just taunting the Greek girl.

I knew the game was all in fun and I that I was getting other gifts from family and friends, so it didn't ruin my Christmas. But I do have a couple of thoughts about the "sausage and cheese ensemble" that someone wrapped and tried to palm off at our white elephant gift exchange.

First off, there is no way they spent anywhere near $50 for that sausage and cheese. I'm guessing they spent less than $7.00 tops, if in fact they did even buy it! Most likely it was a gift they received from someone earlier this Christmas.

Secondly, who gives sausage and cheese as a gift? The family member who did this had to sit there silently for the rest of the day biting their tounge - listening to everyone say what a stupid gift it was. They had to endure their gift being the butt of every joke, whether it made sense or not! Just the mere mention of sausage and cheese had everyone cracking up.

So OK, I was stuck with (oops, I mean) I ended up with gifts I really don't want. So I will most likely also recycle them myself or as they called it on Seinfeld  re-gift them.

Hmmm, sounds like a perfect gift I can hang onto and give to my manager Mr. Bricks when I have a need to give him a gift of some sort. If he eats at McDonald's everyday I am sure he also would enjoy late night binges on sausage and cheese.

Oddly enough, no one took credit for bringing the sausage and cheese combo as their gift exchange items. There was a whole lot of muckery, finger-pointing and even some accusations made, but like every other Christmas in our household it just turned into another Family Feud. And I'm not talking about the game!

I hope your Christmas was Merry!

Blessings,

Ava

xox

Christmas Bonus Buy

I INTERRUPT MY REGULAR SCHEDULED BLOG FOR THIS COMMERCIAL

Are you like my manager Mr. Bricks who says each year he leaves all of his Christmas shopping till the last minute? If so shame on you. But I'm not here to judge. The Greek girl is here to help. You can buy your gifts right here on this blog. You can think of this as a Greek Girl Yuletide Bailout, if you will. Why would you want to go to the big box stores or crowded malls when you can do all your Christmas shopping online right here in one safe, convenient, jolly place? Duh, it's a no brainer because I also have T-shirts and other really cool stuff..

As a way of thanking you for being loyal followers of my blog I am offering a tremendous deal on my CD's - for one week only!  You get both "We The People" single and my "Gone" CD which has 10 songs for the low Christmas bonus buy price of $9.99 - yep you get both CD's for that low price.

Remember, this is a limited time offer, so please hurry and purchase your CD's now before Mr. Bricks finds out and shuts me down. Just click on the image above where it says buy now and it will take you to my store. Thank You in advance.

What?? You say you have never heard my music? Shame on you again. Well, to make it easy for you here are the songs from my "Gone" you can listen to before you buy. Please Note: Song 11. I Thought Wrong is not on "Gone" CD.

Thanks again for being such solid supporters of my music and now of my blog. It's all going so fast. It's hard to believe that there are now thousands upon thousands of readers of my daily blog and it has only be around since the first of October. From the bottom of my heart...I can not thank you all enough! And if Mr. Bricks had a heart, I am sure he would also thank you from the bottom of it.

Blessings,

Ava
xox

Eggnog: The Rocky Effect

Here's the Greek blonde girl before a recent show in Philadelphia

One of my all-time favorite movies is Rocky. There is just something very inspirational about this film for me. I really enjoy the message about going for your dreams and never giving up. I often have the film's theme song Gonna Fly Now by Bill Conti playing on my iPod when I am working out or on one of my runs.

I started doing some serious thinking (dangerous, I know)  and I realized there must be some connection to the movie Rocky and people drinking Eggnog at Christmas time. Rocky Balboa drank raw eggs during training and before the fights so he could get the instant protein and none of the fat into his blood stream. It is like an adrenaline rush to the body for boxers and others who work out when they drink raw eggs.

Isn't it odd that people don't start drinking eggnog on Halloween?There's no eggnog served with the ham at Easter. You don't really see eggnog being served alongside turkey and Aunt Zelda's green bean casserole at Thanksgiving, now do you?

But for some reason -- as the year starts to wind down, and right at Christmas time people start drinking eggnog. All of that raw egg starts making their brain melty and effects their decision-making. I did an earlier blog, which you can read here,  where people tend to make a fool of themselves at the company Christmas party. The main culprit of making poor decisions at any company Christmas  party is usually because someone dipped a little too much into the free eggnog.

When people drink eggnog and have all of this raw egg crap get into their brain and blood stream they get all loopy. The instant protein is like a shock to their system and they start going all Rocky on everything and everybody. They start making wild New Year's resolution to lose weight and get into shape. Not because it's a New Year, but because they are all hopped up on eggnog and want to be like Rocky Balboa.

Yo' Adrian, I have an example for yoos -- a 92-year-old man who's been smoking 3 packs a cigarettes a day for 75 years. He takes a sip of eggnog and all of a sudden he's stripping down and shadow boxing everyone in the room like he has become the next Apollo Creed. He crushes his cigarettes and vows to his family that his New Year's resolution is that he is going to start running marathons and he will quit smoking. Well, the next day after the eggnog is out of his system, old grandpa can be seen walking around his living room butt naked, tearing the house apart, cussing like a sailor, looking for his lost package of cigarettes.

In the original Rocky movie the The World Heavyweight Championship bout was scheduled for New Year's Day 1976, which also happened to be the kick off day to the United States bicentennial. So I think that also influences these people into making crazy New Year's Resolutions, they want to be like Rocky and change history and change their own destiny on New Year's Day.

New Year's resolutions are great. New Year's resolutions made under the influence of eggnog- not so much. Just Sayin'

Here's a quick montage from the original Rocky movie I found on Youtube. Check out 1:20 into this remix and you can see Sly downing the raw eggs.

Ok, Gonna Fly now...Blessings,

Ava

xox

12 Dog Days of Christmas

Here's Itty Bitty, Punkin, BoBo, Pookie

"Let it snow, Let it Snow, Let it snow..."

I love Christmas and I love my dogs. And here in the Aston house we don't do anything normal -- that's just how we roll.  This includes the way every Christmas I dress up the dogs for their annual photo for my Christmas card.

Just look at these little Chinese monkey faces. OK, so they're not exactly the happiest group of campers in this photo. The funny thing about their expressions in this photo is I can show you a half-dozen pictures of this Greek blonde girl when I was little sitting on Santa's lap and I have the EXACT same expression on my face as my dogs. I guess the tinsel doesn't fall far from the family Christmas tree, now does it?

Here is a poem that has been adapted from "A Puppy's 12 Days of Christmas" by Elise Lewis. This is the kind of muckery that ensues around Christmas time in the Aston house.

On the first dog day of Christmas Punkin gave to me:
The Santa topper family heirloom from the Christmas tree.

On the second dog day of Christmas Pookie gave to me:
Two shattered mercury leaking CFL twinkle bubble lights
And the Santa topper family heirloom from the Christmas tree.

On the third dog day of Christmas Itty Bitty gave to me:
Three punctured ornaments
Two shattered mercury leaking CFL twinkle bubble lights
And the Santa topper family heirloom from the Christmas tree.

On the fourth dog day of Christmas BoBo gave to me:
Four destroyed sneakers
Three punctured ornaments
Two shattered mercury leaking CFL twinkle bubble lights
And the Santa topper family heirloom from the Christmas tree.

On the fifth dog day of Christmas Punkin gave to me:
Five chewed-up stockings
Four destroyed sneakers
Three punctured ornaments
Two shattered mercury leaking CFL twinkle bubble lights
And the Santa topper family heirloom from the Christmas tree.

On the sixth dog day of Christmas Pookie gave to me:
Six yards of soggy red velvet ribbon
Five chewed-up stockings
Four destroyed sneakers
Three punctured ornaments
Two shattered mercury leaking CFL twinkle bubble lights
And the Santa topper family heirloom from the Christmas tree.

On the seventh dog day of Christmas Itty Bitty gave to me:
Seven scraps of wrapping paper
Six yards of soggy red velvet ribbon
Five chewed-up stockings
Four destroyed sneakers
Three punctured ornaments
Two shattered mercury leaking CFL twinkle bubble lights
And the Santa topper family heirloom from the Christmas tree

On the eighth dog day of Christmas BoBo gave to me:
Eight tiny reindeer fragments
Seven scraps of wrapping paper
Six yards of soggy red velvet ribbon
Five chewed-up stockings
Four destroyed sneakers
Three punctured ornaments
Two shattered mercury leaking CFL twinkle bubble lights
And the Santa topper family heirloom from the Christmas tree

On the ninth dog day of Christmas Punkin gave to me:
My front door wreath in nine pieces
Eight tiny reindeer fragments
Seven scraps of wrapping paper
Six yards of soggy red velvet ribbon
Five chewed-up stockings
Four destroyed sneakers
Three punctured ornaments
Two shattered mercury leaking CFL twinkle bubble lights
And the Santa topper family heirloom from the Christmas tree.

On the tenth dog day of Christmas Pookie gave to me:
Ten Christmas cards I shoulda mailed
My front door wreath in nine pieces
Eight tiny reindeer fragments
Seven scraps of wrapping paper
Six yards of soggy red velvet ribbon
Five chewed-up stockings
Four destroyed sneakers
Three punctured ornaments
Two shattered mercury leaking CFL twinkle bubble lights
And the Santa topper family heirloom from the Christmas tree.

On the eleventh dog day of Christmas Itty Bitty gave to me:
Eleven unwrapped presents
Ten Christmas cards I shoulda mailed
My front door wreath in nine pieces
Eight tiny reindeer fragments
Seven scraps of wrapping paper
Six yards of soggy red velvet ribbon
Five chewed-up stockings
Four destroyed sneakers
Three punctured ornaments
Two shattered mercury leaking CFL twinkle bubble lights
And the Santa topper family heirloom from the Christmas tree.

On the twelfth day of Christmas Bobo, Punkin, Itty Bitty and Pookie gave to me:
A dozen doggie kisses
And I forgot all about the other eleven days.

In my opinion it doesn't get any better than the Christmas season.

Many Blessings,

Ava

xox

Melancholy

I'm kinda feeling a little melancholy as I sit here writing and addressing my Christmas cards. The fireplace is crackling and filling the room with warmth and the smell of freshly split pine. Jingle Bell Rock and other Christmas tunes fill the house with the proper sounds to keep me in the spirit of the season. My four little doggies are slumbering at my feet with visions of rawhide bones dancing in their little Pekingese noggin. The aroma of freshly baked cookies is coming from the kitchen... well ok, I lied. Not so much on the cookie smell, since I don't bake and there is actually no yummo freshly baked cookie smell in the house. But the rest of the sights and smells have me in this very melancholy mood.

Before I named my post Melancholy, I decided to makes sure I was using the word correctly. It appears I have a large following of school teachers who are keeping me on a very short leash grammatically. I should be offended, but I'm not. I know they just want me to look my best on my blog. Although I must admit that sometimes when I get an email from them correcting me, I do feel like I've been sent to the principal's office - just sayin'.

So I looked it up at dictionary.com and this is their definition of melancholy:

mel·an·chol·y

[mel-uhn-kol-ee] plural -chol·ies, adjective

–noun
1. a gloomy state of mind, esp. when habitual or prolonged;depression.
2. sober thoughtfulness; pensiveness.
3.Archaic .
a. the condition of having too much black bile, considered in ancient and medieval medicine to cause gloominess and depression.
b. black bile.
Ewww...OK, not sure what the color of my bile has to do with feeling a little depressed -- but I will just roll with it because, well, because I'm feeling melancholy. See how this melancholy thingy works? Oops... the teachers don't like me using the word thingy -- Sorry. My bad.

So we're down to the last couple of weeks of 2010 and I always hate to see the year end because I know there are always things I wanted to do but just never got around to it.

On the other hand I had some tremendous things present themselves to me this year giving me opportunities that I could have never dreamed of happening. When I was sharing this with my manager Mr. Brick's yesterday he said, "I know what you mean Ava." Mr. Bricks went on to say, "In my wildest dreams I never could have imagined that McDonald's would bring back the McRib. It just made me giddy as a young school girl?"

Ok that is just scary to me that a grown man can get giddy as a school girl over a fake processed pork sandwich. There's something just a tick off with him. Mr. Brick's is not right in the head I tell you.

Although I didn't start writing this little blog until October, I'm still feeling melancholy about it because just like with my song writing, I started writing it as a way of expressing myself -- and now I will soon be writing my 75th blog post.

I can reflect fondly over all of the blog stories about my obsession with sneakers, my Greek heritage, Mr. Brick's obsession with McDonald's, my non stop working out, eating healthy, daily 5 mile runs (weather permitting), my acting auditions, my love of Greek diner food, my Cd's sales, The Tea Party Patriots, Punkin, BoBo, Pookie and Itty Bitty, The Kardashians sisters, the pitfalls of living in New York and all of the day-to-day muckery in my life. I know its all good because it allows everyone to log on and read what-a- reality-show-waiting-to-happen my life really is.

So I'm going to spend a little more time sittting here in my melanchony mood and just smile. I realize I am truly a blessed Greek girl and God is an awesome God!

Blessings,

Ava

xox

Ava Wants A Christmas Present

Happy Saturday!! Welcome to the Saturday morning tradition of watching a cartoon I made instead of reading another boring blog I wrote. I gotta mix it up so you want to keep coming back.

I hope you enjoy this latest cartoon I made. They are so fun to do. If you missed the first two, you can always find them on my Youtube page under Ava's Video blogs or click here.


So what's on your wish list?

Blessings,

Ava
xox

Ava Wants Some Auditions

Last Saturday's cartoon was a huge hit, so I made another one. Let's just say I don't think Pixar or Walt Disney has to worry about me, but I do hope you enjoy watching it!
Blessings!

Ava
xox

How to Fake out Santa Claus: Making the Nice list

Ok, don't send me hate mail for writing a Christmas blog in early November, but there is a reason. And I promise you won't have any Christmas carols stuck in your head after reading this. Maybe a few visions of dancing sugar plums, but no carols. I promise.

Now is the time of year when we all start thinking about Christmas gifts. Not always so much what we are giving others, but more about what we want. We need to start early because we were told as children that Santa Claus knows when you are naughty or nice and quite frankly, speaking only for myself, some of us need to make up for lost time...it's been a full year.

I can look back and laugh now because of how often my parents used the naughty or nice ploy to get their unruly daughter to behave when out in public. It is trickery many parents resort to get their own children to eat their vegetables, do house chores, make their bed or clean up their rooms. It was used on me often to quit beating up my sisters. Ever see four little Greek girls fight? It wasn't pretty. I remember one time I was midstream of a good hairpull at the shopping mall when I heard my questioning Mom ask, "Ava...What do you think Santa Claus is doing right now young lady? (pause), -- He's adding your name to the naughty list, that's what he's doing." I loved it when she not only asked a question, but when she also answered it in the same breath like that. Classic parent manipulation 101.

Of course I know now that was just a load of crap, but I did buy into it hook, line and sinker back then. I wasn't much of a gambler back then as a 4-year old, nor am I much one now, but I wasn't willing to risk not getting a slinky and other toys I wanted delivered under the tree. So I would always immediately tow the line.

But now, a couple of years later (wink, wink) I am still in the mantra of wanting to please a non-existent fat man in outlandish clothing.  Ha Ha, a fat man in outlandish clothing, that sounds like I'm talking about my manager, Mr. Bricks, doesn't it? So without risking the things I want under the tree this year I need to fake out the big guy.  So here goes:

Santa -- That wasn't me that left that door ding on that BMW.

Santa -- I have never accessed my neighbor's wi-fi.

Santa -- What? You mean I didn't leave a tip to that rude waitress at the diner? My bad.

Santa -- I think Mr. Bricks is the best manager ever.

Santa -- It just looked like a scowl at the nice policeman, I was smiling, really I was.

Santa -- Doesn't everyone take and eat a few grapes while in the produce section?

Santa -- I thought those were my seats at the Heart-Red Velvet Tour  concert. Someone must of switched my tickets when I wasn't looking.

and finally....

Santa -- Have I ever told you how sexy you look in that red and white crushed velvet suit of yours? Mrs. Claus is a very lucky woman!

Fa la la la la and Blessings,

Ava

xox

www.avaaston.com