After many years, I am saying goodbye to Navaja Negra.
Many years, plenty of joy, lots of friends and very good memories. Also a huge amount of work, stress and headaches. Worth it every single time, no doubt. But we are getting older.
Time takes its toll, and it treats each of us in its own way. We all change differently, and over the years the founders have come to see things from different points of view. Sometimes with differences that could not be bridged.
Let me be clear about this: we are the ones leaving, and we do it entirely of our own free will. And more important still: Navaja Negra goes on. It goes on with new blood, with renewed energy, and with the same essence and enthusiasm as always. That is what matters.
We have been incredibly lucky that the rest of the Navaja team (friends by now), without whom we could never have pulled it off, have picked up the baton. Professional people, people you can trust and, above all, good people.
I would be lying if I told you I feel no sadness or nostalgia, and I am sure I will miss it. But, as I said above, it is time to step aside and leave the CON in good hands.
My closest friends have asked me whether we are leaving the stage but staying in the shadows. The answer is a firm no. It is time to watch things from the sidelines. Of course, I will never refuse a friend a favour, or a piece of advice, or any help I can give. But always from the outside.
After all these years, there is only one thing left to say: thank you, all of you who made this madness possible. Something we never even dreamed would get this far.
Thank you all: speakers, attendees, sponsors, my colleagues and all those anonymous people who were always there.
And I would not want to say goodbye without telling the lettuce joke one more time.
“What is green and transparent…?”
See you at the bars!
