Shite. 17 years at one company and today I'm handing in my notice. Shite

A word of advice on this front. Prepare your letter of notice and don't say much else. No matter how matey you are with the boss. Stick to the plan - do not ad lib. There's no upside and you're more likely to dig a hole for yourself.

Leaving a comfortable career after many years is not dissimilar to free-falling, but not always with a parachute ...