Bye

Soon I'll be leaving journalism for pastures new.

Naturally enough, I've started to think about what I will miss about being a reporter and the things I'll be happy not to do anymore.

It's a clich, but it's true that no day is ever the same (for the most part). My first day in the job had me spend the morning up a church spire looking for beetles (seriously), before spending the afternoon up to my ears in mud on the Crowhurst marshes. It has pretty much continued in that weird vein ever since.

I've interviewed national political leaders, written obituaries for rabbits, covered 567 council meetings (possibly), been to 342 fairs (maybe), annoyed just about every emergency services officer in the district and blagged as many free tickets as humanly possible. Plus plenty more besides.

I do realise what a privileged position being a reporter is. People let you into their lives to share their triumphs, disasters and events. That's something very special.

I'm also lucky enough to have been in a position of awesome responsibility (at least that's what I tell myself). What I write helps to shape the views of around 20,000 people each week. That's a sobering thought. And probably means all journalists are egotistical so-and-sos. We certainly don't do it for the money!

I won't miss the phone calls at three in the morning, pushy people who seem to think they have been given the job of Observer editor or having to carry a notepad and camera with me at all times, leading to a bulging of my pockets making it look suspiciously like I'm wearing jodhpurs.

Looking at every notice board within a ten mile radius, earwigging conversations and being generally nosey could be a thing of the past too '“ but I get the feeling it won't be. That's probably just me and why I became a hack in the first place.

So it's with a bit of trepidation I'm walking off into the sunset. I've actually not done anything other than be a reporter '“ man and boy, as they say. I think I'll be alright though, because of what being a journalist has given me and the people I've met. Cheers.