8 january 2013, time

It's not just women that mature. I'm listening to leonard, cohen of course (11 september 2012). Unusually though, I am listening to him on my computer, having downloaded the album (live from london as you ask). It was amazingly cheap, exceptionally easy and very convenient, so I don't know why I haven't done this before. It's partly because like my mum (now tragically ageing) and a video recorder, there came a point when I just can't effortlessly keep up. After months of me and my wife thinking about it, my 11-year old fixed up the i-player on the wii the other day (which would all have been gibberish to me just a couple of years ago), and the day before that he solved the skype conference call conundrum. Today, for some reason, my 8-year old (birthday week after next) was watching madness and adam ant videos - and (says the altecacker) - goodness me they are so young; and yet I clearly remember them being so adult. The new force in israeli politics was in an elite army unit, founded a business and made a fortune, served 4 years as the prime minister's chief of staff - and is now 40. My aches and pains don't disappear in a day, and the other day I caught myself thinking my kids rather reckless jumping off a wall twice their height. A great man once told me you get where you're going by 40, and then do your best 5 year's work. It's hard to avoid the idea that I'm there.