December Changes

OK it has certainly been a while since my last post, damn near a month, and my how things have changed. I have graduated, started my new job, and am trying to find somewhere to live here in Canberra. I guess one can say its been life changing. This is the 4th week mark, and I think it's really started to hit me that I have left QLD and won't be coming back (except on holidays) and I'm really starting to miss people. I wouldn't say I'm homesick, but I definitely miss the immediacy of being able to contact people.

To my friends at KFC, I still think of you, and feel bad when I hear things like Allison's got a third degree burn on her hand, all I have to deal with hear is my eyes getting sore form staring at a computer all day. That and adjusting to the 9-5 and the constant work. I don't have the same time that I did when I was a student and I really miss that.

To Chantelle and Lucy, your words really touched me, I read them more then a few times, and almost cried (which you just know I never do). So far I'm still in accommodation, and have yet to move into somewhere permanent and honestly, not looking forward to it. Haven't really been cooking, the most extreme so far has been an (gasp) omelette. Although I made Chocolate Balls for my staff Christmas party which was cool, everybody liked them. I really do like the people in my new job, they're just great, I can't say that enough. And everyone seems to have that corporate dress thing down pat, me I'm still working on it.

And I'm coming back to the Gold Coast on Sat 22nd and I'll be there until Sat 29th. So people feel free to give me a shout out. And by the way, I thank people for their comments I really do appreciate the fact the people do occasionally read this. And the more comments that are left the more I will update, also thinking of going in a different direction in this blog, but I need to buy a digital camera, and maybe a new computer. Not telling you anymore, I'm getting good at the secrets thing.

Well I'll finish here, as I do have to leave the office and make my way home occasionally. And the picture is of the front entrance to where I work.

Laters.

Byron Bay

Some of you may know that I went to Byron Bay at the beginning of this week. While there I ate the most amazing food, bought some really cool things, and went diving. I stayed at Planula B&B (http://www.planula.com.au/) and I'd recommend it to anyone (it's the above picture). Breakfast was provided and it was so COOL, especially the muffins. I stayed with 2 friends from Uni, Kym & Emma, it was kinda nice how we all got along and there was no real pressure to do EVERYTHING together that you get in some really clingy friendships that just make you uncomfortable.

And yes, I really did go Scuba Diving 12m undersea and everything. And I gotta tell you that at first I panicked, it was just s cold and dark at first that I couldn't imagine going all the way down. But I pulled it together and dived and it was pretty cool. It was just so weird. There were fish, starfish, a shark (the picture is the shark we saw, it was sleeping at the time), jellyfish, coral, stingrays and much more it was intense. I quickly found that I liked to move around a lot I think it kept my mind off the fact that my mask was a little filled up with water and also the cold. But when a 6ft long stingray glides in front of you, you do kinda have to go Whoa! Hold Up. I was so glad I did it, I have never felt like such an alien before, it's not that your unwelcome, it's just that you are so out of place and the fish are just sought of indifferent to you, that you just know that you're not in your environment even though you're still on the same planet. Everyone should go diving if only to understand the perspective of where we are in relation to the environment.

That's all for now, when I get some pictures I promise to put them up.

Katina Note.

The Killers

Hello Readers,

November 9th was a Friday night, and on that Friday night, I took a train from the Gold Coast and then went all the way to Boondall, a station that I'd never been to before. I got off and then with a crowd of people in tow, made my way to the Entertainment Centre for a an experience of a lifetime. Once there I waited in line and security would not let me through as apparently my bag was too big (which was bullshit btw as I had used that same bag when I went to Snow Patrol a month ago) so I then had to check it which sucked because I had to leave the line I was already in, go to another line for the coatroom, fill in a form and then line back up to get inside. Yay.

But then the experience happened, the stadium started filling and a cloth went in front of the stage. Then a projection began which was black and white and all so cool, once the cloth had dropped the lights started and the sparkles fell in waves of colour blue and gold predominantly. It was a special moment. Then he sang. My God I now understand the groupie mentality. And when he spoke he had this lovely Southern accent, and the boys were in suits throughout the concert. And I could not say a word, unlike the rest of the crowd and I cannot sing along, I cannot jump up and down, I do not participate in the Mexican wave. Instead I sit very quietly and let it all wash over me, and then during encore I cry silently because such magic must end and I do not want it to.

Thank you Killers, you were indeed amazing.

Katina Note.

Busy Being Idle

It's times like these that I wish I had an Itouch (Ipod with touch screen), I'm sitting here at Uni not doing what I'm supposed to be doing and just being one of those really pathetic people how can't focus worth a damn. I could say that this is like High School all over again but then when it came to crunch time I was able to focus and get things done. Now as I'm about to finish Uni, I just no longer care at all, so I'm here about to pull an all-nighter and I still can't be bothered t do anything that's remotely like study. I think this lethargy come from the fact that I already have a job after Uni already lined up, so really there is no need for me to impress anyone. It's a bit sad though because I was really hoping to Graduate with Distinction and I know I could have if I'd even bothered to look at the textbooks and gone to the lectures, it really would have been easy.

And moving to the Gold Coast the way I did (on the weekend) really hasn't helped. I'm at Uni all day trying to do stuff and I get home and there's always stuff to do and so much interaction. I just want to scream sometimes "HELLO I'M AN INTROVERT" I need some alone time and I need an environment that's calm and lets me recharge but with 4 boys all under 18 really not getting some ME time. And I haven't had a chance to sort through my stuff which is all I really want to do, I keep meaning to do it when I get home but on Tuesday there was a power outage and you just can't unpack by candle light, on Wednesday I had my Brothers sports dinner, which I actually didn't need to go to, and earlier that afternoon I went trick or treating with my younger cousins, so couldn't of done it then. So really I'm sharing a room with all three of my brothers because I haven't had a chance to do anything with my stuff.

But I am looking forward to going to Byron Bay with a couple of Uni friends, I was going to go with like my Gold Coast friends but they were like busy, I think I've bitched about trying to organise stuff together in the past and how it just does not happen. We've already paid the deposit and we're going to stay for a week and do some diving and other really random activities, we're staying at Planula Resort. It's like our way to celebrate the end of Uni, maybe I should use that as incentive.

And I'm starting to get a bit freaked out over my sleeping patterns, I can tell that they're really unhealthy but it's just so hard to get regular when you're sharing. As I've gotten older I've started to realise just how important sleep and routine really are, I guess that's one of the things about moving to Canberra I'm looking forward to is establishing a pattern that works for me and to be around people who have the same motivations, I can't help but think that I'll be a real grown up once I'm there. No study just work with a paycheck at the end of the fortnight, what can I say I like security.

I've also been buying stuff off the Internet, my first was 10 cards from http://www.redbubble.com/ which I was so happy with, I'll have to get a few more. Then I brought some fabric for when I eventually learn to sew, it would be cool to join a craft circle in Canberra, a good way to make some friends. And then some shirts from http://www.threadless.com/ which I can't wait to get, if only to work out what size is best so that I can buy MORE, they're so cool. And finally 20 clear shoe boxes from http://www.innovations.com.au/ (codename ZOYA) which will be sweet because I'm just starting to understand the female's passion for shoes.

OK I've done my show and tell, so I better go and like finish essays or like sleep or something.

Katina Note.

P.S That's a pic of me in full Korean traditional dress.

Today

I'm trying to upload a video for you all, it may take me a while but I'll try to get it up here.

BTW I really wish I had a job that was like just looking at Internet sites all day long and being paid lots for it. That would be so cool.

And I went to a Craft Fair in Brisbane, I have never felt so very alone or ignorant or young. I think I was the youngest person there outside of a stroller, and the only one who wasn't already in a craft club. But I brought a book, so that I can learn how to sew stuff and be really cool, like all the pensioners there. Yeah, I'm totally an old lade in disguise. And Lucy, you would have been drooling over the scrapbooking supplies that were there, in fact I'm pretty glad I went by myself so that I could move around at my own pace. it was pretty frickin crowded as well, and I didn't get the free sample bag that I wanted, only the first 1500 people got those, and apparently I wasn't one of those. It will be interesting to go to the women's convention in November.

Katina Note.

Customer Service

Today at work it was mentioned to me that customers DO NOT KNOW THEIR MANNERS, as I work in hospitality/service industry I thought that it may be helpful to add something to help these people who have lost their way (which really shouldn't be anyone reading this, because we've all been there).

1)Know what you want before you order.
2)Give appropriate money.
3) If there is something wrong with the meal, don't be a bitch/bastard about it, you will only further annoy people (both workers & other customers).
4) Don't piss off the check out person, because we remember the bad for far longer then the good, and sometimes we do retaliate. Maybe one day I'll even tell you all a few stories about what I've done : -P

This may seem like common sense but it is something that is severely lacking when people are out and about (I have enough sense to not blame this on generation). Anyway, I rock at my job (really I am like the BEST) but even I have started to develop this headache whenever I have to go at the front and serve people. I think it's because I have to pleasant 100% and act like I'm actually happy, which is weird because I mostly am but it is kinda tiring being in "Hostess" mode for longer then 4 hours, thank God I'm not an Air Hostess.

We've all had bad experiences, and unfortunately I've been working at KFC for over 4 years, so I've probably had more then my fair share when it comes to dealing with people.

Katina Note.

Favourite Websites

OK, so I thought that I'd do something fun and give a list of some of the websites I like and maybe talk about the cool things I see, now the sites I'm about to mention I look at, at least weekly, normally twice a week, so if they can retain my interest, I think they can do the same to yours.

Web Comics

http://www.reallifecomics.com/
http://www.megatokyo.com/
http://www.applegeeks.com/

Cool Hunting Sites

http://www.coolhunting.com/
http://www.thecoolhunter.com.au/
http://www.charlesandmarie.com/
http://www.joshspear.com/
http://www.yankodesign.com/

Random Sites

http://www.postsecret.com/
http://www.treehugger.com/

And I wanted to tell everybody that they should both A) Donate Blood and B) Get themselves onto the Bone Marrow Transplant List as they donate blood. I've done both, and it's not all that hard, and you get a free feed whenever you donate blood (I'm so tempted to go back weekly but you can't cause you're blood needs to replenish, that's how good the food is).

By the way, I really want a Mac Book Pro : -(

Katina Note