Okay. Just phoned a pal that's been an IBM programmer/teacher all his working life. He now uses a computer for CAD and all normal stuff. It happens he makes the most beautiful jewellery and publishes on his techniques. As By the Way as that is, it does show he's not the dimmest kid on the block.
He finds the management of gmail files exasperating. He's aware of the proper way of doing things but still gets bulked by what should be simple filtering tasks that just do not work logically.
So, no solution from him, but some comfort I'm not sinking into senility - well, not very quickly, anyway.