New Year's Resolutions Part 1

28th January 2009 New Year’s Resolutions

I think only the most optimistic person would call this the start of the New Year – or perhaps that should be the most calendar or time challenged. It is probably quite fitting as I have come to realize that I am habitually late for everything. This is not through any desire to be late, but generally because in yet another sign of optimism I am always convinced I can fit in 2 or 3 things before the deadlines. I am the person you see hopping up and down in the supermarket checkout glancing at my watch and sweating gently. The supermarket scenario is never helped by the fact I have an uncanny knack of picking the checkout queue with the slowest operator, generally ‘in training’ and inevitably as I reach the head of the queue the operator will begin to open and count rolls of change. I keep a gracious smile on my face whilst glancing at my watch in the vain hope the large prominent supermarket clock might be ten minutes fast. Added to which is another optimistic delusion that the traffic will be minimal and I will speed through. It is true that Sydney roads are much less clogged than your average London street but it is still a rash woman who trusts to a straight run at school pick up time.

My children have become resigned to late pick ups and sit boot faced at the school gates fending off concerned adults with heavy sighs and the world weary advice of “Our mother is always late”. They tend to get more agitated about arriving late for school. The car is a seething mass of tension as we screech to a halt in a flurry of mutual recriminations, missing hats and packed lunches. My last glimpse of them is not angelic faces held up for a kiss but a mad scramble of legs and schoolbags as they exit the car at speed to try and make it to lines before the bell stops ringing.

Reflecting on this and deciding to reform has given me the idea that perhaps I should set off with a set of New Year’s resolutions – after all we aren’t out of January yet. My first one then is not to be late – or more positively to make a real effort to be on time for things and with this in mind I am off to school pick up. I can feel myself glowing with virtue at the thought and promise I won’t let myself get distracted by hanging up a wash, reading my email or putting supper in to marinade.