Listening to what, exactly? "I suck, because I haven't programmed for 10 years"? What exactly is the message here?
Some things change fast, others don't. Most don't take the time to understand this--the best will.
Maybe I have acquired some kind of taste, but then I always think about the many successful PHP projects out there (PHP is horrible in my opinion). So maybe even that "taste" is overrated. Just doing it seems to be all that counts.
Another thing is that I somehow try to optimize for the changing demands, and try to become faster at picking up stuff. I try to make it seem normal to pick up a new technology, rather than a reluctant effort. Not sure if it is the right way to go, though, and I also don't have a system for it.