could write about the exams that I'm doing over the next few days, the classification of my degree, maths, bananas or what it feels like to know that you are utterly stupid but good with computers.

Instead I'll tell you a story.

One time, not so long ago, after a maths tutorial we went to the pub, as we are want to do. We happened to sit by this old guy who seemed interested in our conversation. Our tutor arrived and greated this old guy like royalty.

Turns out that he'd nearly completed every OU maths course that is available, and as he had his TMA on-hand I suspect that he was pretty good at maths. He wasn't after a degree he just liked maths and had took it up like pensioners take up bowls or peppermints-in-a-bag.

I remember thinking that I wanted to be like that. I'm not, still...

At this point I could go a few ways with this argument, I'm going to go with the without the OU I'd be nowhere argument.

Tomorrow I sit an exam, not something that I am looking forwards to but a something that keeps me straight, a something I can't coast through, a something that gives me a real qualification.

I don't want to be useful to you, I want to know. This seems like a toxic combo to anyone who employs [exploits] others.