Basket.

My father is at last learning to use the Internet... well, with all that buzz about life-long learners and stuff, I guess I've got a case study right here in my house. The joys of email, search engines and web browsers... aah.

Well, October is upon us, barely before we know it. I remember how slowly time seemed to be creeping by in February; now in a flash it is eight months later with Prelims over and A-Levels just one month hence. I remember we were all saying "don't think about it" as we watched the J2s of the year past file into the hall for the exams in September 2003; now ours is over. Always "don't think about it" - escapism is never a solution.

And so it seems all things are drawing to a close. October has always been the month I traditionally regard as signalling the year is closing; before October there is plenty of time left, after it, not so much after all. Somehow I feel this is the calm before the storm... the interlude before the tempest. Ominous? Well, our fates are out of our hands. Never been in them before, if you ask me.

Four days to 18. Well.