Girl put your wellies on

Splosh, originally uploaded by www.AlastairHumphreys.com.

After last year's resolution to "be better", I seem to be spending a lot of time at the moment thinking about the kind of person I want to be as I'm growing up (and hopefully working towards becoming that person!)

For example, I recognise that right now, I'm not motivated by money (which is handy, as if the museums sector takes a funding cut of anything near this order, there'll be a distinct lack of it soon enough). Instead, I'm motivated by learning more about and contributing to my profession, and by the work of my peers.

As the upheaval of the last 12 months in my personal life is replaced by something altogether more sane, I think about what sort of friend I want to be and who I want to be friends with (much as I tried to avoid it, the breakup of my relationship last year led to the loss of some mutual friends: largely due to awkwardness on my part). I want to be more gracious in my actions, and now punctuality (my eternal demon) seems to be under control, extend that organisation to acknowledging birthdays and the like.

I also consider what my personal goals are for the long term, particularly with regards to relationships. On a walk through the park with The Boy on Sunday, we passed lawns almost completely submerged from the previous nights' heavy rain. Later, when we had holed up in a pub with a fire and brandy, I told the boy that one day I hope to have the disposition and character to round up my children and take them to a park on a rainy Sunday afternoon, and have a competition to see who can find the deepest puddle. Later still, once conversation had moved onto work, we talked about the age-old issue of having the confidence to commit one's ideas to paper. Then The Boy gave me this year's New Year's Resolution:

"Girl, put your wellies on"

I think I'll keep him.