Season 03, Ep. 07

Barney

Tonight's episode is about Barney Miller. An Australian man whose spirit will always and forever be my inspiration. Here goes.
The other day I drove home for a quick lunch when I found Fras watching a documentary on Garage. Garage is the ONLY channel on, when I'm not home. And being a channel that only shows surfing, snowboarding, skating etc, I don't always pay attention at what is on when I come home. This time however, I walked in and soon enough my ears started really listening to the documentary that was on. It was about Barney Miller. A young man who was left paralysed at 20 years old after a life changing car accident. Barney was a super active young bloke always keen to ride a wave or a snowy hill. And yet here he is stuck on a wheelchair. The reason why Barney's story has come to light, since he is not the first one and unfortunately not the last one to have had to deal with the devastating consequences of a car accident, is because Barney is a dear friend of Mick Fanning's. The two met one day at the beach at one of Mick's surf competitions. They have been inseparable ever since. 
For those of you who are not into surfing, and don't really know who Mick Fanning is, well, you are sitting at a computer right now, or holding your smartphone, so there, the internet is right in your fingers. Mick is a World Champion at surfing with an incredible story to tell. And in his darkest year to date, enters Barney. 
When Barney met the love of his life he decides to defy science, medicine and pretty much gravity if he can, when he decides to learn how to walk again. Barney was a quadriplegic and was told he could no longer use his arms and legs again. Barney makes it his mission to learn how to use all four limbs. The entire documentary is about his journey, which is still going on, and about how Barney learnt how to stand, kneel, so he can propose to his girlfriend and dance at his wedding. An incredibly inspiring, heart throbbing but also painful documentary to watch. And Mick is with him every step (literally) of the way. Holding him up, encouraging him to work through the pain. He takes him surfing with him-yes even if he's paralysed, he is still out there surfing the waves lying on that surfboard, and we're winging over bumps and bruises sometimes.
When Mick publicly went through a horrible year what with his divorce, his brother's passing and an almost brutal shark attack at the surf finals in South Africa a year ago, a moment I personally watched live on TV as it was happening, there was Barney to inspire him to never, ever, give up. And here is Barney to inspire us to never, ever give up. I wish you take a moment to check out Barney's story and ponder over the fact that if a guy like him who is about to defy science, medicine and doctors, can do it, and not take no for an answer, why can't we? What's stopping us from achieving the impossible? What is impossible anyway? How do we know it's impossible? Have we tried it to know? Ah. Tick the box first. Try it. Then label it 'impossible'. Or will you?
I showed Barney's story to my English class the other day to pass the message to my kids that whatever we may go through, whichever battle we have to fight, all we need is one person to support us the whole way. And it doesn't have to be the family we were born into. Sometimes it's the family we create for ourselves. 

Get inspired: 
Barney's story http://www.youandmethemovie.com/

Long time, no read folks!

Toodles,
Katerina

Season 2, Ep. 04

Italia Conti, Continued.

 I'm gonna use a more festive colour to type this episode due to the holidays. Ha. 

 Hi! How you doin'? Counting down till Friday? I am! I'm actually cheating and decided to open first presents on Christmas Eve. Hashtag, sorry not sorry.

 Anyhoo, where were we. Oh, apologies for derailing the subject last week, but, you know, Ed Sheeran. 

So my time at the Drama College was definitely a big chapter. There were a lot of firsts. No, not those firsts. One of them was my first big panic attack. You know, like the panic attacks you get where you can't breathe and you squeal like a fox trying to gasp for air and at the same time you can't shut up, you just have to try to form sentences? Yeah that.

 I was always into my Ballet, it was after all my first form of art that I got into. I started as soon as I could walk and I just kept progressing until deep into my teens when I became so passionate I was taking extra summer courses abroad at Ballet Schools. So when I got into Italia Conti, and one of our classes was a Ballet class, almost every morning, I was bound to be one of the good ones. Good so far? Okay. Now, the teacher that handled the advanced ballet class was a typical British woman-'nough said- with her posh accent and her tough love approach. Think J. K. Simmons on Whiplash. Classic right? The tough teacher who pushes the talent and makes their life a living hell so they are ready to face whatever is out there once they graduate etc etc...classic right? Yeah, kinda like that. No bleeding fingers, maybe toes. Hashtag pointe shoes.

 So, I was getting told off and corrected over the smallest arm move mistake, leg, hip, knee, pointy toe mistake...breathing mistake. I had actually been "trained" to deal with this "type" of teachers early on, as my ballet teacher during my teens wasn't exactly a softie either, but did his job amazingly. But I wasn't ready for this woman, oh no. You see, apparently my focusing and listening face  came across as defensive and uninterested at the time. And that was the problem. You know not to take it personally being attacked and corrected for your technique because you know the  teacher sees something in you and that's why they're pushing you, but when suddenly you're told these exact words: "you are so uninterested, and look like you do not care Katerina", oh I remember this like yesterday, it totally hits the crap out of you. 

And you do such a good job reacting professionally and mature and walking out at the end of the class with your head high after of course you have said back 'no way, I am very interested'. You walk out and you feel so mature for not breaking down or even tearing up. And then your fellow class mates go "unbelievable what happened in there, I don't know how you did it, I probably would have had a meltdown right there if that happened to me". And here. We. Go. It's exactly the same when you are not okay, do an awesome job holding it in until someone asks if you're okay and the waterfalls start. 

 The more I sat there weeping and boiling, the worse it became, you know how women work, they sit there overthinking everything and end up frying their brains out. And that was it, the whole thing had taken its toll by then for me and so I storm back in the room while she was still there packing up and threw THE LOUDEST and funniest, tantrum ever. Have never done this to a man, but yeah sure, I did it to my Ballet instructor. I sat her down and started mouthing with much little sense words like "how do you dare telling me that I am not interested, I work hard!!" and things like that, until the panic attack from all the pressure that everyone goes through at those Drama Colleges hit me hard. No need to describe it again, just re-read paragraph 3 if you need. And that's when she held me tight, helped me breathe normally again, calm down, get over myself, and told me the same thing. She pushed me because she saw something and the face thing. Well she had better warned me about it as soon as she noticed before it would be too late apparently. Imagine being in at a job, at an audition and looking at the director with an "uninterested and defensive" expression. Fair enough. 

 Needless to say that this woman became my mentor and tutor till the end of the year, whenever we had or needed one to one time with our mentor for advice she was the one I would run to. To this day she is the person I respect the most out of that school, won't forget and are still friends on Facebook with-lol. As a mentor and a teacher myself, even if clearly everyone has their own approach and chemistry with their students, her honesty is what I've taken away from her. Thank you.

Take this time to enjoy your Christmas. Take this time to be with the ones you love, take this time to appreciate what you have. You can start complaining again next week. Ta. Merry Christmas!~

Katerina

Season 2, Episode 01

Paris Je T'Aime

Season 1, Ep. 12

Season Finale

Pretty much every TV season finale there's been, there's a major dramatic climax in the middle of the episode, only to get resolved towards the end and then leave us again with a massive gasp right at the finish so we HAVE to watch the new season, right? Well, this season finale is gonna be just another standard rant, like all the previous episodes, since this is what this blog is all about. But believe me you want to come back for next season. Hashtag watch this space etc, etc.
ROH. Most Brits and artists might know what this ugly word stands for. It is basically the initials of the Royal Opera House. But yeah, the cool kids call it ROH. Anyhoo, tonight and for the final episode of this first season that I have thoroughly enjoyed writing about, it will be about my time at the Royal Opera House in London.
Coming from a dance, Musical Theatre and acting background I never thought I would ever get the chance to enter the doors of such a place, and never in my life did I think that I could get to work in this form of art. Didn't we use to mock Opera singing as kids? 
I was fresh out of Drama School for about a year and I was working full time at Abercrombie and Fitch to support myself while chasing 'that' dream. Oh yeah, I used to work there too. For a looooong time. But more on that later. Hashtag next season on the moo point, hashtag season finale gasp. At the time I was busy recruiting new models for the store's campaign and the sales-floor. What a job that was. Every single day, here I was, on the busy streets of Central London looking for the good looking. With me I had a buddy and co-worker who also happened to audition to be in the entertainment industry and he had actually done a couple of cool gigs on TV by then. He had some more connections. 
One fine, sunny day, here we are wandering around, when he mentioned that he would have to cheekily disappear for a few hours in order to run to an audition. Before I even had the time to ask about the audition he was already suggesting I should go with him. His exact words were, "I'll sneak you in, it's a dance gig at the Royal Opera House, they want background artists, you have to do this". I couldn't form any words, my gut always tells me, do it, what do I have to lose anyway, it is an opportunity. But of course, I wasn't sure if it was an open audition, aka anyone can go, just like the masses that show up at the X Factor auditions, or was it a close one. 
Long story short-ish, we showed up, we filled out some forms and my friend suggested I write down his agent instead of mine so we avoid any further questioning. His agent only dealt with dancers, aerialists and acrobats so they were so many people auditioning that day from his office. Perfect. No questions asked. I get called in, I spend 3 hours in dance classes, assessments, theatre exercises and group work until I finally find out at the end that I was selected to be a dancer for their upcoming Opera. Say what? Hashtag right place at the right time. And here's your irony, my friend did not get the gig. 
For the next few months, here I am, stoked about my achievement, rehearsing every day until the shows and finding out all about the magical world of Opera singers. And boy is it different from the rest of the industry. I never realised first of all, that Opera singers cannot keep singing as frequently as other regular singers. They strain their voices so much during one show that they can only perform 2-3 times a week and do some voice rest during the rest of the week. Thus they get heaps of understudies, and we were only able to put on a show every other day. Funny huh? But they have without a doubt, the most amazing talent. 
I also got to work with some old ass performers who had been knighted by the Queen as Sirs and Dames, damn. Other than that I felt so fancy in our fancy changing room, in our fancy period costumes, fancy wages lol. 
We got to perform during the Christmas season at the end of 2011 and right into the new year. My New Year's Day was spent at the theatre performing. 
I will never forget how happy I had felt that my first day of the new year had started in the Royal Opera House. I still have my Pass card. I will never forget the people I met and worked with over those few months. No way. And I will never forget the night Prince Charles came to watch us. Never. Never forget to grab a chance. What do you have to lose?

 "All the world's a stage and people it's mere players"

On the next season of The Moo Point. Abercrombie and Fitch. The Italia Conti chapter. The New York chapter. And the one with the ski. Toodles. 

Season 1, Ep. 11

Mattie Mattie Mattie 

(Ref: Abba's 'Money Money Money')

Mattie. There has to be an entire week's post dedicated to this particular dog. You'll understand.
Cat lovers Vs Dog lovers. It's a never ending debate. Cat lovers will say that dogs are too needy and constantly seeking attention and exercise etc, dog lovers will argue by saying that cats are boring, only good for catching mice and too into themselves. Sure, both opinions are pretty factual, each to their own, we all have an opinion about everything in life (almost) anyway. If everybody on this planet agreed on everything in life we wouldn't have ended up with situations like, I don't know, um, WWI, WWII, Civil wars, all other kinds of wars, terrorism, 9/11 and the list goes on and on and on. Hashtag, I lost the point. Hashtag that escalated quickly. 
ANYWAY, Mattie. As an apparent dog lover, I say, what is wrong with dogs being needy? What is more wonderful than someone being in such need of you and only you. You are the only person that this dog is counting on to feel happy. I'm sorry but I'm pretty sure that half of you here are looking for something like the above in a person, well, a dog could be a good start to make you realise how great it is to feel needed. Love yourselves before you love someone else. Hashtag reminder. 
So I'm working as a dog carer and dealing with heaps and heaps of different dogs, clients, breeds, sizes, colours, personalities, ages, puppies, way too old ones...and then there was Mattie. A toy poodle, apricot colour as she was described at our client's file, with short curly hair and the cutest little nose. She was pretty much everyone's general favourite. She was just an example of a great dog. She listened, she always followed you around, so she was awesome off leash, she was always, ALWAYS in a good mood and if she grew fond of you, boy was she protective. By luck she ended up on my walks quite so often so we did grow fond of each other quickly but it was definitely the car rides home, as I would favour her a bit and have her on my lap, that strengthened the bond. No, I wasn't the driver, that would be risky now wouldn't it. Passenger seat, dogs at the back, Mattie on my lap. Simple.
One day I am given a new puppy with my pack and I am double checking that she behaves well off leash and that it would be safe to let her free in the park. Yes? Yes. Okay, so I did and next thing I know she is sprinting back, towards the exit of the park. Yes, SHMESH. Someone was probably giving me the wrong info about the wrong puppy. I try to entice the puppy back to me with treats, cute calls etc, as sprinting behind it will make it run even faster, unless you are Usain Bolt. Nothing. She kept running and running and as I am ready to let myself panic a bit, Mattie SOMEHOW, sensed what was going on and did the biggest sprint of her life, overtook the puppy and did a massive tackle so the puppy stopped. Puppy freaked out and decided to run back to me who was waiting with arms wide and LOADS of treats. To this day I don't know if it was just a game for her and it was pure luck, or she indeed sensed the tension and what was going on and indeed decided to help out. I like to think the latter. In my experience and I believe in everyone else's who loves and deals with dogs, we can agree on how intuitive they are. 
That was it. Since that day Mattie was my hero and even though she was the legend, I was a hero to her eyes too. On those notorious car rides where we dropped the dogs off home, if I had to be dropped off earlier to do other jobs, before she was dropped off home, I was told that she would cry non stop for 10 minutes about it. One day I received a snapchat of Mattie winging because I had to go. NOW ISN'T THAT ADORABLE?
So that's it. My top dog, whom I have left behind in good hands since I quit that job, and it was without a doubt the suckiest part about quitting, but as we said last week, it was long overdue.
The best part about Mattie. She twirled. Whenever she was happy about seeing me, she would get on her back legs and twirl. Twirly whirly Mattie Marques. 
You can witness this yourself here http://iconosquare.com/viewer.php#/detail/851606307067727547_178144162 (or on my Instagram page www.instagram.com/katerinageorgiou). Ta.

Season 1,Ep. 10

The One With The Bullying (Not At School)

Bullying. We all know how it works, one feels shit about themselves, one doesn't get enough attention at home, one comes from a broken or bullying environment at home, and one takes it out on someone else. It's simple yet so complicated.
It is super awful and absolutely necessary to at least try to be ceased from happening at schools only because children are pretty much helpless when it happens to them. They don't have the skills to fight back, they barely even know who they are as a person. And guess what. Being bullied surely defines a lot on who you become later on. Hashtag chain.
If you're bullied and you know it clap your hands. *clap clap*. And if you're not sure if it was bullying that happened to you, bullying ranges from verbal abuse such as light-hearted talking down on you, such as someone telling you that you cannot do something, such as someone treating you according to the way you look to full on physical abuse. So yes, I can safely say that pretty much a good 80% of us here with big hearts have probably been or are being bullied somewhere by someone, either once or continuously. Am I right? Hashtag Hallelujah?
Anyhow, yes, bullied at school although it definitely didn't seem to had hold me down afterwards, it just made me one very depressed 10 year old for a year who would start crying even if you pinched me. No biggie. No grudges. Bitch. Ahem.
But my bullying experience as an adult is what is definitely worth mentioning. My friends have heard about it, my parents have heard about it, my kids will definitely hear about it, my grand-kids will be making jokes about it. In the hope of helping anyone out there who deals with a similar situation here is the "employer gone wild" story.
In the year 2013, I had already completed a few months as a part time dog walker, but I slowly started filling in for full-timers who needed time off so I started spending time with the boss more and more. We had already started on the wrong foot but then again so did all of her other employees. It was simply the kind of situation where you couldn't win with the woman. You don't do something, you get told off, you do something, you do it wrong, you answer back to her, you are a rude rebel who has an answer for everything, you don't answer back and just nod along, to make your day easier to move along, you're not listening to her.
And that was the start of it. All employees experienced it, all 90% of them who quit within a few months, plus the 10% who hung in there a little longer for the money and the dogs. But by 2014 things took an unexpected turn and the daily minor telling off became major scenic, dramatic, verbal abuse. Suddenly I am getting bullied about not doing what I am told, 5 minutes after she would see me do it. If someone else wasn't doing something right, there would be a couple of incidents where I would still get the blame for it. If I tried to talk back and stand up for myself, the woman would reach the point where she would attack my physical appearance as a reason for being "shit" at my job. Pardon my French.
Two things I cannot stand are guilt and the feeling of someone being treated unfairly. Being the little passionate artist I am, I tear up like that *click*. One day I did, and next thing I know she is pointing her finger at me like I am a puppy being told off for chewing her shoes. "All you know how to do is cry anyway, so go on cry". Um yeah, hashtag true story bro. The money was great, the dogs adorable and the clients kind. I did the math for a while and held on. Until that notorious moment which probably still haunts me. Final straw I guess. Just because someone pays you doesn't mean they have the right to treat you like dirt. Please don't forget that. Life is short.
Bullying employer's profile: Mid-fifties, single, no friends, shut everyone around her out, including family, constantly made mistakes with her clients and blamed it on her employees, was mostly attacking her female employees, not attached to her clients' dogs at all, they were nothing but a big fat cheque to her. Are you smiling yet? Wait for the punch line. My next employer in that industry emailed me after a month of working for her to express her gratitude for being good and reliable. A MONTH after I started working for her.

Remember, Karma is a bitch only to bitches.

Feel free to share your story on the comments below. Everyone has a story.

Season 1, Ep. 09

PREVIOUSLY ON THE MOO POINT...

So here I am thinking that life is short and for what is worth, you should always pursue any passions and moments of happiness and since dogs have always been the juicy cherry on top of my passion cake, here I am being offered to get paid to look after them. It was a no brainer.

And boy was I loving it. Dogs are what they are. They all have their personalities, they all have their mannerisms that come from their homes, they never ever hold any grudges and most of all they sure know how to have a good time. That is the biggest lesson that working with dogs have taught me. I may have learnt how to teach them to sit and how to stop them from pulling the leash while they are on a walk, but the biggest lesson I'm taking away is that those four-legged best friends of ours, know how to live their lives to the fullest, they know how to have a good time whenever and wherever they are, whether they are alone or with friends, whether they have an entire park to run in or are stuck in a tiny box, a crate, a kennel, dogs know how what their life is about. And they value it. 

So it dawned on me that I may able to teach them not to chew on furniture for example or never ever to pee indoors again, but they certainly are the teacher when it comes to the right attitude. The attitude to grab that opportunity to make the fullest out of any situation we are put in. Quite deep ae? 

So dogs became my therapy as well as my passion, as well as my part time job. Spending time with them most days of the week even if it was for a couple of hours, took my mind of all the rest. All those little every day stresses that the London lifestyle provoked. Oh yeah rent is due again next week, oh that's right another audition I didn't get, oh my agent is pretty shit. Oh well I am walking my dogs now so all is hushed. This probably became and will always remain one of the best jobs I've had so far. The only downside, that boss o'mine. Downside would be sugar coating it. But more on that later. And that's my truth today. So. How are you?

Season 1, Ep. 06

Post Holiday Blues

Let's talk about that. Only because I have spent the last 30 hours on planes coming back to base, not so ready for action, but I guess it has to be done, which is also the reason this post was a wee-bit delayed. And so, there isn't much inspiration this week, but more the need to talk about that feeling we get after a massive highlight in our lives comes to an end. Quote Friends, "an end of an era". Ok maybe not so dramatic.
Greece was magical. You can follow the entire journey from here to there and back, including wedding buzz and beach galore on Instagram. Also make sure you have checked out last week's post about the wedding. Some may have sent me the feedback that they felt like they were there while reading it. Some. Hashtag brag.
Family catch up, best friends catch up, watched sister walk down the isle, tanned, tanned, ate like there's no tomorrow, tanned. No wonder, you get the blues after. And then I sit down and feel guilty because I feel unappreciative of my everyday normal life. Why do we live for those holiday moments, why do we hate going back to work? Shouldn't we be leading a life where we all do what we love so we don't feel like we have to have those holiday moments to hang on to? Mmmm, I'm the romantic who always said yes about it, we do have to lead lives where we do what we love for a living, and boy do I serve this preaching, but a holiday is a holiday. As someone very close to me says, on holiday, you eat when you're hungry, you sleep when you're tired.
There's no schedule, there's no dress code, there's no does or don'ts and there is absolutely no stress over spending money, over paying bills, what to eat aka what to cook. Come to think of it this maybe define some people's lives 365 days a year but for the rest of us mortals, we know that all the of above are indeed situations we go through every day when NOT on holiday.
Now I am back having the rudest awakening as it's still winter over here. We got the rainiest, windiest welcome. Oh yeah NZ made sure it reminded us well that our holiday is more than over. But hey, here I am at least rejuvenated, rested, sun-kissed and writing my next post while watching the MTV Video Music Awards, finding out that Kanye West is running for president in 2020 and picturing Kim Kay becoming a First Lady. And it makes me realise that everyday life is not so bad after all. Hashtag preach it. Till next week...

       

Season 1, Ep. 04

I Have A Dream. (A Song To Sing)

London. I grew up in Greece but I really GREW up in London. Which is why there probably will be a marathon of 'episodes' on the London chapter. Nevertheless, it was all a moo point. Or was it? 

I've been thinking about the blog's episodes. How many per season etc. American TV shows have had huge runs of around 24 episodes per season so far but suddenly the newest trend seems to be the way the British TV has been going on about their shows with a sad 8-12 episodes per season. But now it's a fact that Americans have made cool. Empire, Rush, True Detectice, Ray Donovan, 12 episodes max, make us thirsty for more. LOVE Ray Donovan by the way. So I thought I should keep up with the trend and keep each 'Moo' season to 12 episodes.
Anyhoo, I will be quick on this one, gotta a wedding to catch end of this week. My big -not fat at all- Greek sister's wedding. OH YEAH. Can you hear the bells?
Now, when was the last time you had a dream? Anything? Good. So here I am 16 and thirsty. Thirsty for many things that I wasn't even aware of. I just had an itch to move out and discover. I could not fit in my hometown. I tried. Nah. By 16 I had gone through the whole teaching phase, just like every other little girl (I reckon), where I would line up my stuffed toys at home and pretended I was their teacher. I went through the ballerina phase in my early teens, since my training was becoming more and more hard core, the ballet fever was rising by the minute, then there was the release of the movie 'Centre Stage', which just literally made me want to be like Maureen in the film, and try out at the American Ballet Academy. Jokes. But honestly, I was living and breathing dance for at least a couple of years. No life. Remember the 2004 Summer Olympic games in Athens? One of the biggest events in the history of Greece? People were so keen to go to down to Athens to be part of it and watch? Well I went abroad to do a summer ballet course instead and I ended up watching the games on TV during my sweet 16th. Fact. By the way, since 'Centre Stage' is an uber cult movie now that I think of it, and not many of you may know it, it is the film that established Zoe Saldana's career. Another fact. Yeah, we all love our Avatar girl.
Nevertheless, passion or no passion, I was shoved into competitive environments since a very young-and tender-age lol. Honestly, the whole reason why I chose the high school that I chose was solidly for its Drama Club. It was pretty popular in Thessaloniki. I remember I COULD NOT sleep before the entry exams. Hash-tag, dramatic story. I lost an eyebrow over it because of the stress. Aw, 11 year old stresses. To this day, the right eyebrow is still thinner than the left one. But I passed my entry exams, enrolled at the school and made it my MISSION to audition and get cast in the Drama Club productions by the age of 13 even though it was theoretically supposed to be a club for Seniors and students over 15 years old. Did I lose another eyebrow over it? Nah, but a few pimples later and the use of then popular group Atomic Kitten's  cover 'Eternal Flame' for my audition, I eventually became a young member at 13. Hash-tag bragging, hash-tag, show off.
So what were your biggest worries and your biggest stress when you were 12?And was it worth it? Yes, totes.
I haven't even gotten to the London part yet, meh, we could stay in Greece for few more episodes before we move. I told you I can ramble. This is gonna be one looong season. Apologies. Or not.

Here comes the ballet gallery.

 

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