Two days ago, a great disturbance was felt on the roads. ...Okay, a small -- somewhat tatty -- disturbance. It's green, boxy, and had a whopping 67 rampaging communist-remnant ("Made in Chechoslovakia") horsepower as new. It's a 1994 Škoda Favorit, in Caribbean/Sea green. And it's mine!

To those good friends and acquaintences past, who drifted away over time; to those who vanished overnight, with no time to say goodbye; to those who passed beyond the dark veil into the eternal night beyond... To all of you, who made me who I am today; who stirred passions and debates; inspired dreams, intriqued, criticised, improved, and helped me explore...

And, as is routine, another "Holy hell, I'm lousy at this blog thing" post. I think it's pretty much required by now; the kind of thing I must produce occasionally or I'll not be allowed to claim I have a blog. Perhaps I shouldn't. If this blog were a potted plant, it'd be a little brown, shrivelled stump.