Nobody has ever called me that before…

Look, I’ve done a few laps of the old circuit; I’ve been ’about’, as some people call it.

I’ve met a shed load of interesting, inspiring, hilarious, erudite, skilled, fascinating – and odd – people. I’ve worked in a host of business sectors and stumbled joyously along an almost entirely unplanned career path.

I’ve learnt a lot, forgotten even more, and generally had the best time. And during that time, I’ve been called a million things…

On the plus side, I’ve been called nice, helpful, an ‘expert’, a ‘wordsmith’ (whatever that is), not bad, gregarious to the point of oddness, a friend, and on one remarkably unwarranted occasion, a guru.

On the down side, the words ‘cock womble’, feckless, dreamer, lunatic, and unintelligible are some of the more printable soubriquets that have also been mentioned.

It’s to be expected, I suppose; decades of employment will expose you to all manner of judgments and instant assessments from those you meet. And, in one way or another and to a greater or lesser extent, they are all valid. That’s cool.

Thanks for the compliments, and apologies for the disappointments.

However, there is one thing I have never been called, and it won’t come as a surprise to any of my friends and acquaintances. In truth, it doesn’t even surprise me…

So, what is this word? Well, it’s descriptive, a verb, and so not me that I’m not sure I have ever used it to describe myself, even in my most delusional of introspective moments.

It’s not a rare or unusual word. It’s neither particularly positive, nor pejorative. As I say, it’s just descriptive. But it’s not descriptive of me.

Oh, for goodness’ sake, get on with it, I hear you grumble.

It’s ‘retiring’.

Even my poor self-analytical skills reveal that, in essence, I’m outgoing; a people person, keen to strike up conversations with virtually anyone who stands still long enough for me to sidle up to them and engage them in mindless conversation about something I know nothing about. So, I’m definitely not ‘retiring’. Perish the thought!

Until today.

Today, I am retiring.

Today, I’m (at least partially and formally) unshackling myself from the wheels of corporate commerce and business, and scheduling my departure from one of the very best employers it has ever been my privilege to work for, already missing the true friends I have made here. With my hand on my heart, I can say that Nielsen McAllister are the employers of my and – if you have a PR bent and are looking to get on, your own – dreams; caring, engaging, understanding, supportive, fun and very, very good at what they do.

But tempus fugit, as some cock womble once said…

So, finally, and despite 60 something years of concrete evidence to the contrary, I can officially describe myself as ‘retiring’.

I bid you adieu, dear reader. But only from a perspective of permanent gainful employment.

But I ain’t leaving town, and I have no intention of becoming an invisible old fart, so I’d hate to think that I won’t cross paths with as many of my chums as feel they want to continue our chats and interactions. My phone number and personal email address will remain the same and still manned.