There are plenty of weighty matters that could occupy this space.

The Palestinian problem, for example, or street crime, or today's local elections.

But I intend instead to concentrate on minor social changes which seldom get a public airing.

Why have many professional women taken to ending phone conversations with the word "Byeeeeeee" pitched at least half an octave above normal and elongated for several seconds until it finally fades away?

I don't know but it's happening a lot and it reeks of false sincerity.

Not long ago when couples met at each other's homes the usual greeting was a handshake or a polite peck on the cheek. Now it is kisses between the men and women, often accompanied by a noise which sounds like "Mmmmmmmwhaaah". Not content with one kiss, some people go in for two on alternate cheeks, French style.

The kissing and hugging has spread to the football field where it happens after almost every goal in professional matches. In cricket matches, the usual salutation at the fall of a wicket is no longer a polite few words but a round of high fives.

We are becoming more demonstrative, breaking down that traditional reserve and unbuttoning the stiff upper lip. No longer is it unmanly to cry, Gazza-like, in public or to make gushing thank-you speeches at award ceremonies of which there are so many there ought to be award for not having one.

Nowhere is that more apparent than in death. There were nauseating scenes of emotion at the funeral of Princess Diana who was merely a poor little rich girl who died away from her children in a speeding car with a playboy.

The Queen Mother's strictly formal funeral service was unusual these days. It's far more common to have outpourings of grief and a few favourite pop songs than Chopin's funeral march and a few words from a cleric.

We are celebrating birthdays much more and a recent trend is for notices to be placed in local papers about them, including The Argus.

Whereas once a birthday would be celebrated modestly on the day concerned with a few drinks, nowadays festivities can last a few weeks. Special attention is paid to anniversaries previously ignored such as reaching 50 or 60.

Weddings are often more style than substance these days. The time spent on the ceremony is dwarfed by that given to photography.

I went to one where the guests were left out in the cold for two hours while the bride, groom and close relatives indulged themselves in every conceivable pose. At another, the photographic session lasted nearly as long as the marriage.

There are all sorts of other minor changes. It has become common (although I do not practise it myself) to start emails with "Hi" rather than "Dear" in order to mark the informality of this means of communication.

Another trend is for studio audiences to utter wild applause even before the characters have come on, as in I'm Sorry I Haven't A Clue or Have I Got News For You? My inclination is still to wait and see if they are any good before applauding.

I can see where some of these trends have come from. The fashion for children to wear cycle helmets came straight from the Australian soap Neighbours. The welcome trend for dog owners to clear up after their pets was caused directly by public hostility towards seeing parks and pavements turned into canine cesspits.

But it's hard to know the origin of others. Why do we now thank bus drivers for taking us for a ride? Why are so many young women so raucous when together in restaurants?

Why do we have Hallowe'en parties when at one time it was left strictly to witches? I don't know but if any of you have an answer, please email me and don't forget to start "Hi Adam". Until then, byeeeeeeee.