But by then the damage has been done and, meanwhile, I'm trying to catch up with news about children I last saw in rompers who now have tattoos and degrees in mechanical engineering, or illnesses and mishaps, or instances of serendipity and impressive successions of husbands, wives, partners and flings, all of whom have come and gone (as it were) without my having met them.
A succession of impressive victories in 1995, including a rare win against rival Marie-José Pérec of France, earned Freeman the number two world ranking for 400 metres.
When asked live on air about Jonas Blixt, who had just recorded a second impressive major finish in succession, McGinley had to be careful.
He rapidly moved up the RKO chain as a specialist in film noir, making a succession of impressive pictures, most significantly the noir western Blood on the Moon (1948) and the greatest of all boxing movies, The Set-Up (1949).
The carefully stage-managed ascent to diva status involved a succession of impressive frocks but the centrepiece was Bleeding Love, a modern standard with international appeal which allowed Simon Cowell to present Leona to American audiences as the UK's new sensation; then, when America took the bait, he reinvigorated her UK profile by trumpeting her phenomenal US success.
To that extent 1832 was more impressive, when two parliaments in succession were elected specifically to reform themselves.
To see these paintings together is a little like attending the same play performed by a succession of increasingly impressive actors.
Antrim mounted a mini fightback in the third quarter, hitting three points in quick succession, but the impressive Cathal Cregg and Donie Smith restored Roscommon's lead to 0-11 to 0-6.
At the other end Jamieson managed an impressive double save in quick succession from Longworth and substitute Daniel Stoney, who had instigated the move with a blistering run down the left before setting up his team-mate.
