'Aught' Lang Syne

I didn't want to jump on the bandwagon of all these "Decade in Review" columns, so I thought I'd call it a quick Rewind. Then I wondered: Is rewind still a word anyone uses? Who would have thought at the beginning of this decade that it would be a thing of the past (waaaaay past)?

Looking back over the past 10 years, I first wonder what we are calling this decade. (I've heard the Aughts, but I'm not a fan.) Every decade -- '60s, '80s, etc. -- seems to have a common theme or certain "identity." (Trust me, '80s music is a prime example.)

Maybe we are too close on the heels of the 2000's (or whatever we're calling them) to see the big picture. In the rewind in my mind, I can sum it up in one word: change. Actually two words: Unbelievable change.

Think about where you were 10 years ago, physically, emotionally, geographically... What your life was like -- your home life and job. Who your friends were. Now think about today. Could you have imagined your "today" back then? Could you today imagine a time in your life when you didn't have what you have today (friends, loved ones, employment, hobbies)?

Unbelievable change.

Besides events of global importance like 9-11, our first black president and weather disasters, there were events of great importance to me personally. Of course, the danger of doing a Top 10 List or even a Review is that there are things I'll leave out because of my pea brain, not because the event or people involved weren't of value to me...

This was the decade I got married to my best friend, bought a home, got my dream job working on scrapbooking magazines, traveled to some major U.S. cities (thanks to that job), met (even kissed) celebrities like Ponch and the Fonz (thanks to that job), ran some 5K's (who'da thunk?), became a soccer mom (baseball, too) and strengthened my spirituality one day at a time.

Then there are changes that affect everybody. When I think back to 2000 -- when we all had Y2K on our minds -- I only had a small percentage of friends with email. Now, 10 years later and light years in terms of technological advances, they all do and, thanks to that World Wide Web, I am in touch with friends I hadn't talked to in 10, 15, even 20-some years.

Through this new-fangled blog thing, distance is no longer a barrier either. My family and friends can keep up with our busy (and sometimes uneventful) lives. This unique communication tool is something I could not even fathom back in 2000. Now it's a daily part of me.

Makes you wonder what the Teens will bring. I can only guarantee one thing: Change. And I'd even go out on a limb and say: Unbelievable change.

Auld Lang Syne, Aughts!