As we get older we become a little more forgetful. We have to work a little harder to remember things. Not big things. Little things.

There is scientific explanation for this called "Needle In the Haystack Syndrome". By the time we near 60 we have so much information in our brains, that it takes a long time to search through all that stuff to find the one thing we're looking for.

Friend: "Remember that movie from about 25 years ago? What was the name of it? It was the one with what's-her-name and that guy, you know? And they were trying to . . . Oh, what was they were trying to do? Do you know what I'm talking about?

Me: "I know exactly what you're talking about."

Friend: "Great. Then what was the name of the movie, who were the actors and what was it about?"

Me: "I don't have the slightest idea. But it was a great movie and it actually changed the way I think about whatever it was about. It'll all come back to me. Just give me some time. Can I get back to you next month?"

Because of this forgetfulness, we ultimately reach the age in life where we can only talk with people we've known for a very long time. These are the people with whom we share a common memory lapse. We've forgotten the same things.

With old friends -- we know what we're talking about, even though we can't remember what we're talking about.

The good news is, 21 st century technology is here to save us. We might not remember every detail. But Google never forgets.

Friend: "I know how we can remember the name of that movie. Let's go to a computer and Google it."

So we called up Google on the computer and typed in all the information about that movie that we could remember: "Movie: starred what's-her-name and whoseyamacallit. About: something."

We actually got nine results. But none of them had anything to do with the movie we couldn't remember.

Friend: "We have to remember some more facts to find this movie."

Me: "Forget Google for the computer. What we need is Google for our brains. Are we going to spend all evening trying to remember the name of a movie we haven't thought about in 25 years when we could be doing something productive, like watching The History Channel? Let's just forget it."

Friend: "I think we already have."

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