I could not leave Berkeley this time without writing one last Berkeley Lab Guest House (BLGH) blog posting. One which was not cajoled from my dying bleeding palm or requested. I have to say from the beginning I am not nor have I ever been paid by BLGH and that the comments I make here are my own and there is not a very large man with a gun sat next to me pointing it at my head. But if there was his name would be….pause to ask man’s name…. he says “Continue Typing”, ok. So Mr Typing is not in anyway forcing me to type this.

So I am writing a self motivate blog, one which I am hoping I can refrain from dropping into some level of complete self destructive loathing as the thing I am posting about is something good, something pure a happy place. But at the same time I am perplexed and confused by comments I have heard during the 12 days I have stayed here.

Firstly, I was told that the guest house is under used. This is great news for me as it means that I can always get a room. That is BRILLIANT and with the same effort it takes to write this I can feel an equal force telling me not to be positive about the place as if it stays under utilised, my little secret, then I will continue to always get a room. But at the same time I can not. I can not sit and watch the great efforts of the staff in the guest house go by unrewarded. They really make this place unique in the world of facilities accommodation. It is so ideally located, so cheap (when you do the math) that it is an obvious choice for experimentalist (these are people like mentalists but who see fit to use experiments not mentals).

So why another post, I’ve hopefully made my stand point on this clear in the course of the last few weeks and even earlier. Well I felt I should yet again say that the place is spotless and the bathroom (shower not included in  my case) is always cleaned and functional to a super high level. The staff smiling and helpful and all-in-all the package of staying here is superior to anything I have experienced, other than the last time I was here, whilst on beamtime. Yes there are issues with access on weekends but that is the site and even more a reason to stay at the guest house. Yes your not allowed alcohol but that is again a site ruling and the reason god in his infinite wisdom invented pubs and taxis.

I find myself sad to be leaving Berkeley. Sad as I will be going back to work, sad that I will not get to hear concerts from the Greek theatre for free - Norah Jones was just brilliant, and sad that apparently no one else sees what a great asset Berkeley laboratory has in its “little”, modern, warm and friendly guest house.

Last night as I retrieved a bowl from the beamline food locker which had held pasta cooked in my little kitchenette room and stood looking out over Berkeley and the bay listening to Norah I got a sense that things were just right at that exact second I was at peace. That peace was not disrupted by coming to my third floor room and climbing into my big soft comfy bed it was perhaps only tainted by the fact that I was sharing it with no one that my much loved and greatly under appreciated fiancée was to want of it a million miles away from me. I guess that this is the reason why this post is more melancholy and less venomous than normal.

Parting is such sweet sorry - some writer, poet, well someone else wrote so I say bon voyage BLGH, welcome home England and perhaps if I email to book a room here next time and find it fully booked then I will be both saddened, but with a rye smile accept that it as with 11.3.1 will be a victim of its own success. Good staff, simply philosophy and just a tadd under appreciated. Not searching for the limelight or the party line just getting the job done.