I'M OLD!

Sorry to keep shoving National Review articles at you this morning, but this column from Jonah Goldberg is just too good to pass up. He's suffering angst, because...he's...getting...old:

But one of the things I do find pretty interesting is how technology changes vocabulary — and by extension the way we view the world. We don't appreciate how many of our phrases are driven by outdated technology. I was always taught that "Mind your Ps and Qs" was an old admonition for printers, though apparently that's open for debate. We refer to "civil" engineering because until fairly recently all engineering was military. A hot shot was something you fired from a cannon. And for my entire life — and probably yours — I've said "dial" a phone number even though kids today don't necessarily know why. The phrase from old TV shows "don't touch that dial!" would sound like an admonition not to touch a brand of soap. Also, if they were watching an old episode of Outer Limits they'd have no clue why the aliens were talking about controlling the "vertical" and "horizontal" on the TV. They also might furl their foreheads when told they sound like a broken record.

Jonah-dude, I have sneakers your age! Sometimes I'm afraid to leave the house for days at a time...but your column was far out!