Valediction

Am I unusual?

Many of you will know about my work with published guides here. What many will not know is how personally I feel involved. Not just with the guides. More than this.

For several weeks, months even in late winter and spring, I have no life other than the guides. I live them. And I live the businesses they represent. That’s the problem. That’s where maybe I am unusual.

These businesses. Some of them are run by friends, or rather by people who have become friends. Others are run by people I like. Others are run by people I barely know, but I admire for what they achieve. Only rarely could I not care a toss.

Over these weeks and months, I can see these businesses and people in my mind. I do the simplest of things. The making of a coffee. The opening of the gates to the driveway. The turning off of lights at night. Somehow, some way, they all bring a business to mind.

I’m too close.

For these weeks and months I live all this. And then come the printers. One year it was the plotter. Another year it was the capacity in the production management system. This year it’s the elections. Always some reason. I don’t blame them. But I wonder what goes through their minds when they turn off the lights at night.

Now the guides are done, they’re out, but it doesn’t stop. In the mind all the time.

That’s why this valediction. I will remain in some capacity. I’m not going away. And there are many other things to do. But I am going. And so when I turn the lights off at night, maybe I will just think again of those businesses and think it’s been a pleasure. And it has been. Cheers.

(PLEASE REPLY TO andrew@thealcudiaguide.com AND NOT VIA THE COMMENTS THINGY HERE.)

P.S. Ne’er fret. The blog continues.

Index for May 2007

Advance Passenger Information - 26 May 2007
Alcúdia’s old power station - 23 May 2007
All-inclusives - 30 May 2007
British tourists - 21 May 2007
Bus timetables - 2 May 2007
Cafe Art 66 - 5 May 2007
Carretera Artà - 21 May 2007, 22 May 2007, 30 May 2007
Elections - 13 May 2007, 22 May 2007, 28 May 2007, 29 May 2007
Es Turó - 20 May 2007
Eurovision Song Contest - 12 May 2007
Expatriates - 29 May 2007
Horses - 24 May 2007
Jellyfish - 15 May 2007, 24 May 2007
My Travel - 21 May 2007
Oxygen Bar - 9 May 2007
Property prices - 1 May 2007
Public holidays - 1 May 2007
Rafael Nadal - 20 May 2007
Restaurants - 20 May 2007
Road accidents - 30 May 2007
Rubbish - 5 May 2007
Smoking - 25 May 2007
Son Serra de Marina - 24 May 2007
Time - 15 May 2007
Tourism - 25 May 2007, 27 May 2007
Weather - 23 May 2007
Weirdness - 20 May 2007