Living in a Vacuum... Tube

Yesterday, I had some work done at the house I'm renting.  Two young, very friendly and professional electricians arrived to install a couple of new outlets so that I could run window air conditioners.  Once we got past the basics of where the outlets were to be placed, the location of the breaker panel, and access to the crawlspace, they got to their task. 

A few minutes later, they had another question.  Pointing to my vacuum tube stereo amplifier sitting on a shelf they asked "what's that?".  I explained that this was part of my stereo.  Yes, I use it regularly.  No, it's only about 5 years old, not an antique.  Yes, you can still buy vacuum tubes (although most are from China or Russia).  Yes, I like it because it sounds better.

"I've never seen a vacuum tube before!"  They were fascinated when I powered it up and they could see the glow from each of the tube filaments.  Perhaps I should have uttered a voodoo chant to increase the dramatic effect.

It then hit me.  Am I really that old?  Has the technology of my childhood and into my early twenties, become so obsolete that I'm one of the few who remembers when it was commonplace?  Am I part of the last generation to have vivid memories of a TV repairman's butt hanging out of the back of a set as he fiddled with the zillion vacuum tubes inside.  Am I the last to recall that electrical gizmos had to warm up before they'd work? 

Back to your rocker, gramps...