…it’s just a silly phase I’m going through.

Probably.

Comfy love?  Happy Valentine’s Day.

My BlackBerry and I have been together a little over a week now. It’s been a whirlwind. For months…no, years…I’ve been resisting the whole mobile email thing.  I’d convinced myself that I liked being offline; that the time I spent away from email was time I could spend thinking, creating, ruminating. 

Of course, that was total and utter bollocks.

The time I spent away from email was time I spent fretting about what urgent matters were dropping into my inbox that would lead to chaos in the international financial markets; the opportunities that, unless responded to immediately, would slip through my fingers like an oil-coated diamond in the ocean.

People talk about the BlackBerry as the CrackBerry.  It’s unhealthily addictive, they say.  It’s not, of course.  It’s email that’s the true addiction…and I got hooked on that many years ago.  Now, instead of the addict desperately worrying about where his next hit is coming from, I have the comfort of a nice fat wrap in my trouser pocket. 

I’m not sure that analogy’s very positive.

But really, it’s great.  I travel quite a bit and now, instead of the binge email sessions I indulge in when I’m online, I have a drip-feed throughout the day.  It’s better.

And then, even as I was as happy as a puppy with a hosepipe (and believe me, they love ’em) she (for she is a she) gets even more useful.

Yesterday morning, after days of steady decline, my good lady wife was in a right old state.  Fever, snot, cough, sweats…the whole bit.  Couldn’t get out of bed.  No, she genuinely couldn’t get out of bed.  Even I had to accept that.  The kids are on half-term, there’s horse-riding to get to, painting to do and I’ve got work aplenty.  OK, so it was all a bit mad, but we managed, and the dear BB played her part magnificently.

Sorry, must go.  She’s winking at me.