Despite what I said last week, I'm actually a big believer in people not working all the time.

I've been feeling a bit chastened this week after reading Marge's comment on last week's blog: basically I'd been suggesting (in light of the ash cloud) that holidays were over-rated, and she (very politely) pointed out that not everyone was likely to share my enthusiasm for the job; that some people actually live for the weekend and their holidays.

This depressed me for two reasons. One, it makes me sound like an absolute loser who only cares about work. Whereas in fact I'm an exceptionally well-rounded individual. Well, sort of. I have friends, and wider interests, and all that kind of stuff. Admittedly I don't really see said friends as often as I probably should, and I don't really find time to indulge in said interests as much as I'd like to. But they do at least exist. I admit I probably spent more time thinking about work than the average person. But it's not like I'm obsessed about it to the exclusion of all else (except when I'm in the office, maybe).

Second, I don't actually really believe that it's healthy for my staff to work every hour God sends and never take holiday. You may recall me mentioning the girl who runs my delivery function. Well she's very conscientious, and there was a time a couple of years back when I suddenly realised she'd been working herself into the ground to such an extent that she looked like death warmed up. So I actually sat down with her and forced her to book a week away, even though she insisted she didn't have time.

In fact, I'd go so far as to say that I actively encourage people to take holiday. I must admit, I don't really do it because I think they come back refreshed and reinvigorated - in most cases, they get back and spend the first few days being miserable because they're not on holiday any more. But I think going on holiday makes people feel happier about life generally - and by extension, happier about work, since that's ultimately what gives them the wherewithal to jet off to foreign climes.

I also love travelling. I haven't done much of it, because I couldn't afford to after university and I haven't really had time since. But one of my biggest ambitions, if I ever make any money out of this business - in fact, it's one of the reasons why I want to make money out of this business - is to take a year out or something, and spend some time meandering around the globe.

To summarise and conclude: I'm not a work-obsessed small-minded loser, honest. I just do a passable impression of one a lot of the time.