#2 THE FIVE YEAR PLAN: Spontaneity vs. Structure
In a manner that could be rivalled only by OCD itself, I am, beyond all reasoning, extremely organised. This statement may hit you as something altogether quite ordinary. “Everyone’s a bit like that at times aren’t they?” Organised? Yes. Lining up your placemats at ninety degree angles, exactly? Perhaps not. While I’ve disguised this art of alignment as me being ‘quaint’, recently even I found myself wondering where this had all stemmed from. After all, my thoughts are often just as assembled as my coasters. Maybe more so. I was once told that to get to the heart of a problem, I should look to the root of it. Who better to guide me through my twenty four year journey of idiosyncrasies, than my mother? In conversation yesterday she confirmed my deepest (very well structured) original thoughts. Being born wasn’t enough of an event for me; I pretty much left the womb planning the guest list for my next birthday party. Much to the distain of my doting parents, if we were having lunch, I was looking forward to dinner.
So… forward thinking and careful configuration appears to be as much a part of me as Mac cosmetics and Chinese takeaways.
There are, however, one people group who would read these utterances and disagree. The people in question are the blue-shirted wonders at NatWest. They don’t know anything of my keen organisation skills. Let’s just say there’s a lot more activity within my current account than there is, my savings. In fact, truth be told, my finances are so current that I’ve only just signed up for an e-ISA savings account. This is where the five year plan comes in. As soon as I hit twenty one and left university, five year plans went out of the window along with my slightly unhealthy obsession with ‘24’. So, no, I’m not a West End star, nor did I get married aged twenty three. However, recently I’ve forced myself to reconsider the benefits of the five year plan, (Jack Bauer can stay where he is.) In five years time I’ll be almost thirty. Now, while my flat in South Croydon is lovely and most certainly ‘home’, I’ve started thinking that perhaps one should aspire to leave ‘Generation Rent’ and get my size sixes on the metaphorical property ladder. Cue the ‘e-ISA’ and claps & cheers from our friends at NatWest. As a result, just when I thought there was no part of me that I hadn’t carefully considered and compartmentalised, in threads another string to my bow, a savings account for my very own house by the age of thirty.
And so there you have it; I have a five year plan. So far I’ve only got to thoughts of a mortgage. Hopes of matrimony, a car (and the leading role in ‘Wicked’) wait in the wings though. As do the dreams I have that 24 will decide to have its ninth season after all.
Donations welcome.