The New Boy At School!

Do you remember? In you went, into the new school. Everybody is bigger than you. You have no idea where to go, no idea what to do. Everything is brand new and there is just so much to learn. What can you do and what can't you? What can you say and what can't you. Who are the ones that are going to put you in your place and steal your dinner money? What is this feeling of self-consciousness? You have never felt like that before. Is everybody really staring at you all the time?

Do you remember? For some of us that day was an awful long time ago and still if you think about it you can conjure up those old feelings.

Becoming a councillor has raised the same sort of feelings over the past couple of weeks. There is an awful lot to get used to, an awful lot to learn. First thing is sort the wheat from the chaff. Strip away the bumph and identify what is important and what is not.

Above all remember the old saying, "You have two ears and only one mouth so listen twice as much as you talk". That has never been my strong point but I am putting it into practice. Sit, listen and absorb. Plenty of time to have my say once I have an idea what I am talking about. How long will that outlook last? Your guess is as good as mine. I have already had a good couple of chats with officers and have been encouraged by the responses and offers of help on a couple of issues. Perhaps I am finding my feet more quickly than I realise!!!