And so another year rolls on by and the close of first decade on the 21st century lies within sight. And what a year it has been. The rollercoaster ride that has been promised us by seers, visionaries and futurists is certainly with us – though the worst of possible outcomes of which we were warned seems to have been averted, so far at least. Of course, we’re still a couple of years away from the now heavily mythologised 2012 ‘epoch-ending’ date, but that’s another conversation. Meanwhile, we have the year-end wind-down, rejuvenation and preparation for 2010, and all that that will bring, and re-envisioning of what we want in our lives. To all our readers and fellow travellers on the ever-fascinating path of life, we wish you well on your continuing great odyssey.

We too will be taking a break, closing our doors from December 18th, and re-opening them on January 11th. If you need us urgently in the interim, you can leave messages on our usual office contact numbers or email us, though we can’t promise you an instant reply since we’ll all be taking a break of our own. For the rest, we can only urge you to take care of yourselves and those you love, be kind to one another and see if you can let 2009 (and all that came before it) go, to be fully yourself as we head into a new year and a future that’s bound to be filled with more adventure, thrills and spills – some of them no doubt a little hair-raising – as each one of us, and humanity as a whole, rushes headlong onwards and, with any luck, upwards.

Chris & The Team