It shouldn't happen to an NVQ assessor

We are constantly being urged to cut our carbon footprint to save planet Earth. Personally i don't belive that global warming is a man made phenomenon, but thats another story. I do however believe that we should all do what we can to conserve energy because most of our energy sources are finite and will run out!

So recently I had the opportunity to do my bit and use the train instead of my car. All of my appointments were within easy walking distance of the station so on this day I could make it work.

I checked the times and the prices, worked out the the train fare against petrol and parking costs and there was a small saving to my employer on travel costs. add to this the fact that I could do some work on the train making my travel time more productive. On the face of it, a win, win situation.

My journey had one change in it, so I settled myself down on the first part of my journey, got a seat with a table and got a bit of work done. So far so good. After 45 minutes I got to my change station only to be told that my connection had been cancelled, there would be no replacement for 35 minutes and I would now have to make another change. On top of all this the station was freezing cold and there was nowhere for me to sit and work.

When the connection evenually came it was so overcrowded that I couldn't work, another change, another cold station, another delay, which meant I arrived at my first appointment late, which meant I spent the day playing catch up.

Going home I was subject to more delays and tyhe joy of a train so overcrowded there was only standing room. Or 8 1st class seats that were empty. As far as I could tell the only difference between these and cattle class was a half partition and an antimacassar on the head rest. But the guard made it plain that anyone sitting in them without a 1st class ticket would be subject to a surcharge.

By the time i got home my working day had been extended by over two hours,(I work from home). Thus wiping out any financial savings. I was cold, tired and frustrated. Next time I went back to using my car, which was warm, comfortable and meant I could travel when I wanted.

The moral of this story is that if politicians want us to get out of our cars, and use public transport more, then stop trying to tax us off the road, as has already been shown, that doesn't work. Make public transport reliable, good value and convenient to use, not the shambles we are currently expected to live with.

It's that time of year again isn't it, when we make our declarations about the things in our lives we wish to change, improve or do away with. Things that in reality we could do at any time of the year is we wished.

Perhaps there is something about us that likes to have a significant date to start on our new and improved selves. In my case one of the things I would like to do is lose some weight (probably one of the most common new years resolutions there is), so it is helpful to have a point in time as well as a start weight to measure from.

Another of my resolutions is to be more organised in both work and home life. Particularly important when you consider the amount of admin involved in being an NVQ assessor.

But there is almost a sense of setting oneself up to fail when making new years resolutions, it seems that whilst it is traditional to make them, it is almost equally traditional to break them.

So perhaps the best idea is not to make new years resolutions at all, but rather to make the changes in our live as and when we need to, probably when our motivation is highest.

Another of my resolutions is yo write on this blog more, so if you don't hear from me for a while, you know why! )