Don't listen to Zacs, he is having some fun with you.
Fill the bottom octagonal receptical with water up to the point where the little air/water valve is.
Place the metal filter so that the pipe points down.
Take your finely selected ground coffee (or grind your own) and place it in the metal filter thing (the small middle bit! who knows what this is called?)
Screw on the top.
Place on stove and turn to full power. The kettle will slowly come to a boil and the liquid from below will be magically transported to the top in the form of lovely thick espresso. The bubbling will become quite vigorus, this is when you should take notice, listen out for the bubbling to begin to quiet again - then you should rush over and run the heat off.
All that is left now is to drink it. Oh, and pour me a cup.
For those that don't know the AnswerBank editorial staff are powered by a nice big mug of espresso at the beginning of their shift.
All the best,
Spare Ed