Would you say you were high maintenance or low maintenance? Somewhere in the middle perhaps? I regard myself as fairly low maintenance, in that I don't think it takes much to keep me happy. Yes, I enter the national lottery each week and dream of what if? but I'm not really sure what I would do if I won the jackpot. My take on life is much like Mr Micawber in David Copperfield - as long as income exceeds expenditure I am happy.

But there are two things that I must admit to craving. If I get one of them then it has an exceptional effect on my well-being. If I don't have the other then it has an equally damaging effect on me.

The thing that lifts me up more than anything is the feeling of being valued. It's a simple thing but in my experience it is not always easy to come by.

Looking back on my school days, for example, I can think of very few teachers that made me feel truly valued. And those that did were the ones that enabled me to achieve the most. As part of my writing course I wrote a poem about a very special teacher. Someone no longer with us, but who lives on in my heart forever. The poem is published in the blog that precedes this one.

In contrast to Neville, I can think of lots of teachers who had a negative effect on me and damaged my confidence. Maybe I was at fault, but I think that being able to value people is a virtue that only a few people possess. I certainly don't think I have it.

That's not to say though that most of us can't do more to value people. The purpose of this blog is to mark the end of my current career. My last day at work is 3rd July and I was not sure what I wanted to do on this day. In the end I decided to buy a nice lunch for a number of friends and colleagues with whom I have associated over the past few years in my current post. Simply my way of saying thank you and letting them know that I have valued the support I have been given. I sent out the invitations this week.

What I was not expecting was the warmth and affection in many of the replies. Words like 'honoured' and 'privileged' were used. How did that make me feel? It made me feel valued and happy. It just shows you - What goes around, comes around.

The thing that causes so much distress by its absence is good health. Something I'm sure most of us take for granted when we have it, but sorely miss once it is damaged. I was reminded of this when I met with my good friend Ian this week. Ian has been in hospital twice recently. Once, for a scheduled operation and then again, to be treated for the infection that arose out of the first visit. He's on the mend now though. Get well soon mate.

My own health is very good, I am pleased to say and I was able to prove it this morning when I ran in my second 10k race, this time over the Humber Bridge and back. I thoroughly enjoyed it and came 332nd out of 456 finishers. My time was 56 minutes and 46 seconds - 15 seconds slower than my last race, 3 weeks ago. But it was a lot warmer today, so that's my excuse.

My next race is in another 3 weeks in Leeds.

Finally, I am pleased to announce that I have found the perfect travelling companion who has agreed to acompany me wherever I choose to go over the next 12 months or so. As you will see he is very photogenic and he has agreed to pose for pictures wherever we may go for publication on these pages.

Ladies and gentlemen, it gives me great pleasure to introduce my very good friend and travelling companion - Wainwright (that would have worked better if the picture had appeared here and not at the head of this blog. Oh well.)

Look forward to seeing lots more of Wainwright in the future.

Live long and prosper.