Do I really have less time in the mornings than this woman?

Julia Gillard is all over the front pages today, with the news that the government is changing tack on offshore processing of asylum seekers. It's an important (and depressing) story, but that's not what I'm writing about. (Come back! It's not what I'm writing about!)

Here is the picture* I saw when I first opened The Age iPad app this morning:

*[Dear The Age, I'm sorry for stealing this photo - I don't normally do it, but this post is meaningless without it. Can we call this a "meme" and let me get away with it?]

Photo: Andrew Meares, The Age

Here are the things that went through my head, in rapid succession, when I saw this photo:

• Oh my god, that's caught her nose in the EXACT same angle as they draw it in the cartoons
• Wow, good photo. She looks attractive
• Nice make-up
• She straightens her hair every day. What time she must get up every morning?
• She probably got her hair and makeup done for the press conference
• But she always looks like that 

There is no way I am as busy and stressed every day as Julia Gillard. How come she finds time for good grooming and I struggle to?

I haven't straightened my hair in about ten years.

My make-up routine on work days is: wipe-on foundation, mascara, lipgloss.

If I'm meeting with big bosses or going out, I add eye-shadow and swap the lipgloss for lipliner and lipstick.

My make-up routine on weekends is: ha ha ha.


Now, I know I have kids and all, and life can be hectic. But - let's be honest here - there is no way I am as busy or as stressed as Julia Gillard.

Time to lift my game.

Bugger.

What about you? Had any similar self-realization epiphanies lately?