‘Do you want to know why I use a knife? Guns are too quick. You can’t savor all the… little emotions. In… you see, in their last moments, people show you who they really are.

So in a way, I know your friends better than you ever did.

Would you like to know which of them were cowards?’

If you haven’t seen The Dark Knight, you really should.

A film that turns superhero mythology into something believable and terrifying and a scene that stays with you – how would YOU fare against that monster?

Fuck knows

Anyway, that’s not the point of this post, it’s not about bravery, imagined or real, it’s about the choices we have.

But if you want to stay with fiction, what about Galadriel ?

‘ I pass the test. I will diminish, and go into the West and remain Galadriel’

Given the opportunity to take everything, she steps back from something that would ultimately destroy her.

What about us though? How do we know if we have enough? What do we actually want?

I’ve mentioned a couple of times that I’ve given my notice at work and the last week or so has been weird.

(Mostly) younger people have asked if I’ve started to wind down, to be met with mild abuse, I’ll do that in my last couple of days, not with eight weeks to go.

I also talked to some people about starting something new within the wider company.

And I was tempted for a day or so. I was in London and London isn’t the real world.

It’s something I could do, I’m fucking good at that sort of thing and the lure of money is always there.

Then I got home.

I rescued a sparrowhawk from my hedge and watched the dogs play at sunset, I remembered that I WANT to go on a road trip and that I WANT to fix some things around the land.

I remembered why I’m quitting.

I’ve got more than enough money, my parents would be astonished at what I have – and if need be, I can downsize at some dim and distant point.

Or sell some gold or shares.

And quite frankly, the taxman can go and fuck himself – I’ve done enough.

So.

For my friends in the real world, the doglets and for me, corporate life ends on the 31st March.

I have passed this test.