When Life Gives You Lemons

So I drove to Upstate New York to visit my Mom and to take the dogs to the groomers and I ran smack dab into the 6th biggest snow storm to ever hit the region. The storm was so big that a state of emergency was declared and everything was closed, including the groomers. So when life gave me lemons.....I shoveled the snow.

From time to time we all have things go so horribly wrong in our lives that we must find something special deep down inside of us as a way to just keep going on. The most important part of those life's lessons is what we do with the lemons that are handed to us.

The old saying is, "When life gives you lemons, make lemonade."  Well this Greek girl likes making lemonade, I really do. The secret is using Truvia Natural Sweetener instead of sugar! Yummo!

Greek Girl's Secret Ingredient for Ava's lemonade

According to the website Innocentenglish.com the phrase “When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.” was not coined by someone's Greek grandmother, but instead by American motivational speaker and author Dale Carnegie. Yes, he was the same dude who's mostly known for writing the famous book “How to win friends and influence people” Personally, if you ask me I think the best way to influence people is to give them lemonade duh, winner!

I'm no Dale Carnegie, just a simple Greek blonde rocker chick who loves writing songs, singing songs and writing blogs.  So from the deep dark recesses of my coconut and with a little help from my friends, here are some newly coined phrases:

• When life gives you lemons, be sure to send a hand written thank you note for the lemons, as email thank you notes can appear to be less sincere.
• When life gives you lemons suck out all of the vitamin C and yell “EAT THAT, LIFE!
• When life gives you lemons ask for salt and tequila! 
• When life gives you lemons, make orange juice, then wonder how the heck you did it.
• When life gives you lemons, collect them and one day life will stop and you would have the most lemons ever. We all know the one with the most lemons wins.
• When life hands you lemons make lemonade and find Charlie Sheen with the vodka  and have a party - Winner!
• When life hands you lemons, keep them away from Mr. Bricks he will eat anything!
• When life gives you lemons alter their DNA and make super lemons!!!
• When life gives you lemons just shut up and eat your damn lemons already.
• When life gives you lemons sell them on eBay, you'll make a fortune.
• When life gives you lemons when no one is looking, throw them through life’s window and run away.
• When life gives you lemons make a reality series that leaves a sour taste in the mouths of the viewers like the Kardashians do.
• When life gives you lemons, squirt the juice in his eye.
• When life gives you lemons, find a kid with a paper cut.
• When life gives you lemons, sing a song, make it simple to last your whole life long.
• When life gives you lemons, ask for the receipt, you might need the deduction in a couple of weeks for your taxes - just sayin' every deductions counts!

Have a blessed day no matter what life hands you today!

Ava

xox

Born This Way

Ava Aston Copyright © 2011

I get a lot of flack from people saying I am either too Greek or not Greek enough. I am too blonde or not blonde enough. And when it comes to my love of sports and working out, I hear I am too much of a tom boy, but when I pass by a Kohl's or a sneakers store and I enter a shopping trance - I am too much of a girlie girl. I say, what the heck, I was born this way.

I am just who I am. I am silly, creative, loyal and I'd like to think talented and pretty. Hopefully that is what most of you like about me. I am not, fake I am real. I pretty much say what ever comes out of my noggin. What you see folks is what you get. I was born this way.

I love my Greek heritage. I think it sets me apart from just another blonde girl. I will let you decide if that is a good or bad thing. (Mr. Bricks - shut your pie hole, no comments from you) I am an animated chatter box at times. Other times I find peace and tranquility in just lying on the couch not saying a word with my four doggy fur babies surrounding me. But that's me, I was born this way.

I wasn't born with a perfect body so I run 5 miles every day or do an intensive workout (really I do.) I love eating healthy. Those are two things my body tells me to do to stay in the best possible shape. I know people who just can't get it in their noggin that exercising and eating healthy are good for you. Although I may not have been born with a perfect body I feel fortunate that I now believe that a healthy lifestyle can help me achieve a perfect body. Another person I know, and I won't name them by name, I will just call them "Mr. Lazy Eye" was born  the way he is with his beliefs that he can pretty much eat whatever he wants and not work out. Sadly, I do believe that he is not alone and many more people are born with his belief system that were born with a belief in living and eating a healthy lifestyle. Otherwise there would not be 32,158 McDonald's franchises world-wide, 11,500 Burger Kings and 5,845 Taco Bells - Just sayin'

I think when people want to rebel against society in one form or another it is very easy to say - I was born this way. Maybe that is true. But the reality is (myself included) we all could use some self-improvement in one way or another to make us a better person. Other wise if our total fulfillment is established at birth - what is the point of life? At the same time I do think it is important to embrace the differences in others. There are some great stories of individual overcoming great odds to achieve greatness, despite the way and or conditions they were born into. Woodrow Wilson struggled with dyslexia, but overcame it and became President. President Franklin D. Roosevelt contracted polio, famous actor James Earl Jones has dealt with a stuttering problem since childhood, Halle Berry has diabetes...the list of individuals who didn't quit or cop-out by saying, I was born this way is endless (and very inspirational.)

My manager Mr. Bricks has been approached by several Christian Record labels. As much as you hear me say, "I want a record deal Mr. Bricks" you would think I would be jumping at the chance, especially since my musical tastes are rooted in Contemporary Christian music. But somewhere deep seeded in my coconut is the logic that I want to be a main stream Pop/Rock recording artist because I can be more effective in that arena. My life style and beliefs are pretty mainstream America and very un-rock star like. I have never trashed a hotel room, I have never OD on drugs and I have never gotten out of a limo with a short skirt and no underpants. I just don't roll like that. I was born this way to make a difference in other people's lives. Singing Contemporary Christian Music to Christians is akin to preaching to the choir. So, I want to attack the beast head on. I want to become a beacon in the very dark world of rock and roll. I want to be that the one role model and inspiration to people everywhere who when they hear me say, I was born this way - that it a good thing!

Blessings,

Ava

xox