I’m at the age where all my friends seem to be having babies at the moment. I was thinking of all the things that I did when I was younger that a baby born today may never do:

Write a personal letter.

Program a VCR.

Copy a cassette tape.

Buy a CD.

Use a film camera, or a video camera with a tape.

Drive a petroleum-powered car.

Be forced to watch their favourite TV programme at a specific time, once a week.

Read a paper newspaper.

Pay by the minute for a long-distance phone call.

Use a telephone with a cord.

Rent a video or DVD.

… Any others? Many of these things I don’t even do today. I don’t write letters except occasionally for business. I use Skype for most long-distance calls, and I don’t own a VCR, cassette player or film camera. I haven’t read a paper newspaper for years, except when I was on an airplane. At home, I have only a mobile phone and no corded phone. It’s amazing how much has changed in just the past 10 years.