My Birthday Party

Welcome Aboard! Katina’s 21st on Saturday 29 November

Join our friendly and entertaining crew for the highlight of your holiday! Enjoy calm water sailing cruise onboard our authentic Tall Ships as we cruise along the fabulous Gold Coast Broadwater to our tropical island paradise resort on South Stradbroke Island.
Upon arrival at our exclusive use island resort, McLarens Landing, you choose how you want to spend your day. Do as much or as little as you wish!
Lunch consists of a selection from our sumptuous steak, chicken & seafood BBQ island feast. Select a cool refreshing cocktail or cold beer from our fully licensed bar while enjoying our live island entertainment.

Relax in the company of family & friends in our free games area or just take life easy in one of our restful hammocks.

Increase the pace; choose from an exciting array of watersports activities

· Speed Boat Rides - Off our Tall Ship as we cruise off our private beach from $10.00 per person

· Paraflying - Off our Tall Ship as we cruise or off our private beach from $50.00 per person

· Jet Skiing - Off our private beach from $60.00 for 15 minutes

· Seaplanes Flights - From $70.00 per person

· 4WD ECO ADVENTURE; Travel through the unspoilt island bushland from McLarens Landing to Jumpinpin Bar. A 4WD tour not to be missed, as you drive along one of the most beautiful, deserted and pristine beaches in the world. From $20 per person

FULL DAY TALL SHIP CRUISE
(Complimentary pickups available from all hotels and resorts)
8:45am Please meet in our office to collect your boarding passes.

9:00am Tall Ship departs for a calm water cruise along the fabulous Gold Coast Broadwater to our exotic island.

9:15am Morning Tea served with tea & coffee.

9:30am Speedboat ($10) & Parasailing ($50) available off the boat.

10:30am Arrive at McLarens Landing and enjoy free wallaby & kookaburra feeding and play a game of pool, darts or volleyball.

12:15pm Enjoy a delicious steak & seafood BBQ Island Feast.

12:45pm Optional 4WD Beach Wilderness Eco Tour ($20) and an exciting array of watersports (please see watersports for prices).

2:15pm Depart McLarens Landing for a calm water cruise home with afternoon tea onboard and watch our crew feed the wild sea eagles!

4:00pm Arrive at Mariners Cove - Coaches Depart
We look forward to welcoming you onboard for a full day of fun and adventure at McLarens Landing Island Paradise!

For further information or to see more pictures please visit
http://www.tallship.com.au/index.ews

Don’t forget to RSVP to either Katina or Tricia ASAP so that we can book for numbers. Passage to the island and meals will be paid but for the optional activities; please bring money or let us know in advance what you would like to do, so that we can ensure that activities will be available on the day.

Call Katina if you have questions on either
Mobile: 04 333 969 30 / Home: 02 6239 5294
Or
Email: katina.clarke@gmail.com

Dying

I've been thinking about death. In a good way, not a morbid way. I've just started to be more aware of my own mortality and the time that is left. And also just how much money one needs to live.

Like if I were to have kids, and be a single parent there is no way I could afford it. And if they were to need schooling, that's whole lot more money needed. But even then I've been thinking about homeschooling, which is another post within itself. Back to death though, I've been looking at LifeGems.

After you are cremated the carbon from the ashes is converted to graphite under extreme heat, then placed in a diamond press where a rough crystal is formed. The diamond is then cut and polished. You can then have them set into rings, earrings, necklaces or even a bellyband. I thought it sounded cool, and you can also have it done in different colours too. The pictures here are examples, I don't really know what colour I would want to be, though I really do like the blue. And I don't mind the idea of always being around, but it would kinda suck if your family decided to pawn you or something, instead of treating you like the heirloom you would be.

Cars

On the weekend I was accused of being the ultimate consumer. I found this to be quite offensive, to me an ultimate consumer is one who is a slave to advertising and must have the newest thing immediately. That is not me. I would prefer to think of myself as a discerning customer, who researches, shops around, appreciates advertising and doesn't usually buy full price. Although even when something is on sale, I tend to ask myself would I pay full price for this if it weren't on sale, if I think yes, that's when I'll buy.

So this has gotten me thinking about cars. Although I'm not looking at buying one right at this moment, I thought that I would educate myself on what car I would actually want, so that I can decide and budget for it.

Below is the Mazda 2, which I think is beautiful, here's a review of it - Mazda 2 review



The next on my list is the Toyota Yaris, another small car (like all the rest of them on the list) - Toyota Yaris details.


Next up is the Honda Jazz, I got a lift in one of the older models and I liked what I saw. There was plenty of room, lots of configurations in the back if you want to have more space in the boot, and the drive was real smooth; Honda Jazz Detail

So that's the three that I would consider getting, although the dream would be a Prius which is a hybrid, so that would keep fuel costs low but any of the above cars are pretty fuel efficient. Just for the hell of it, here's a pic of the Prius and a review; but at that price it is definitely a dream


So what do you think of my choices?

Terrarium

I thought I'd write about something that I've been wanting to do ever since I moved to Canberra and discovered Terrariums. I know I want to do it and I know what glass I'd put it in but I think I may have to wait till Winter finishes. I'd also like to know exactly how to make it and what plants I would like to put in it and also if I were going to have a theme like above.


And do I want to do something like the above and have a series of them? See it's all in the details.


Or something small and delicate looking, so it's similar to a fine piece of art? Once you see a few of them the inspiration is ignited and there are so many choices. It becomes endless and you begin to drown in it, just like in life when you are too smart for your own good.

I thought the above was pretty cool, it's an edible terrarium. Does anyone remember the Oprah episode a few years ago, about her garden party that she did for "O" Magazine? Anyway the dessert for that was a little pot plant, that was completely edible. It had chocolate dirt, marzipan flowers and just other overall yumminess. I remember seeing it and going WOW, that truly is too pretty to eat. For more pictures, or if you're curious about the process of the edible terrarium here's her website; Bitterbutton

Miniatures

I don't think many of you will know of my love of little things, I just think that sometimes people forget that little things can pack a bigger punch here's two websites which I believe really showcase this fact;

http://little-people.blogspot.com/

http://www.thomasdoyle.net/disfr_set.html



Enjoy!

My Life

The reason for lack of posts is that my computer has finally decided to die after being taken out of retirement. It was honestly just a matter of time. But still it does mean that I don't have my OWN computer. At the moment I'm writing this on my housemate's laptop (with her permission) and now it really has me thinking about ..well... things. To clarify, I guess more specifically about materialism.

I'm probably on the most regular and best wage of my life, and I can't help but think how I used to live without a fortnightly check. But at the same time, I think I was better with my money this time last year, and now that I have more I don't think I'm keeping that same mentality. And I think it partly has to do with the material obsession that has affected me with the rise of the wage. All I can think about is the things that I WANT and when you can afford the wants, the list only gets longer.

So I think that I'm going to have to do some serious thinking about what truly is important and exactly what philosophy or idea that I want to live by. I look at the clothes in my closet and probably 90% were mass produced and made by people who aren't really appreciated for what they do. Since I've started buying handmade things, I've really come aware of just how much I enjoy having a knowledge of who makes my things and also the processes that they go through to get the finished product to me. I just really enjoy the relationship that I have with these people.

So I think I'm going to have to take the plunge and really try to spend responsibly. But I still need to figure out exactly the difference between WANT and NEED. Especially with food, as food in Canberra is insanely expensive, which is honestly where the majority of my spare $$ go. But I really do think a computer is a necessity as I am already paying for half the Internet, so I may as well get my Money's worth.

Anyway I will try to be a better blogger and I'll try to be the responsible person that I should be.

Katina Note.

My Birthday!

OK, so I'm turning 21 at the end of the year and I've decided that it's going to a classy affair. I mean super classy like holding it at a national building or something with cocktails and snacks.

So everybody start saving because it will be held here in Canberra on Sunday the 7th of December and everyone who reads this blog is invited! But everything is still being decided but like my Mum mentioned I've only really had 2 Birthday parties 1 when I was 5 and the other when I turned 10. So for 21 going big! Pretty dresses, smart casual, waiters, I mean why not? Can anyone think of a reason why I shouldn't go big? Comment if you can.

It's actually a little sad just how excited I'm getting about this idea, afterall my Birthday is in 10 months time, but I figure if I start now I can budget for it.

OK that's it for now, back to Willy Wonka, Johnny Depp really did a good job on making that character his own.

Laters, Katina Note.

Howzat

Hey everybody,

Sorry it's taken me so long to back to this, but working fulltime is suprisingly overwhelming. I am enjoying myself though. Anyway to news - have found a place in Kingston, it's a cute little 2 bedroom unit, the more I hang out there, the more I like the space. Have found a flatmate, her name is Tajanka, she's a med student in her last year, and has just started working at Dendy Cinemas. Her boyfriends name is James, who likes to make our furntiure and also seems to like laughing at me.

I think I'm finally settling down, which is a relief. Also random thing, I'm thinking of making this blog into something different, something with a bit of omph behind it. I don't know, I've got too many ideas but not enough time and money to instigate them. Maybe that's why alot of people out there don't feel particularly creative, and maybe that's why "true" creative people are often a force unto themselves, you've got to have alot of grit to throw down the towel on the everyday world and try to work from within your own. I think that's why there are more fustrated creative people, because they have this vision but not enough talent/time to say fully realise it.

Anyway, that's all for rambles now, I will though try to be more regular in posting.

Katina Note :-)