Memories are made

Ian Jack wrote a piece for yesterday's Guardian Review about memory, ageing and TV documentaries. He's a few years older than I am but, like me, has noticed that suddenly he's often the oldest person in the room. So many things which still seem fresh and new to us now feature in history lessons.

My grandfather was 30 when the first world war ended about the same age I was when the last Labour government was forced out of office after the winter of discontent. No wonder people's eyes glaze over when I start going on about the rise of Militant and the SDP.........

But don't feel smug, soon you'll be the oldest person in the room and telling them again about video-cassettes, MP3 players and Tony Blair. Time marches on. Use it or lose it.