Another new decade

I remember when the 60s became the 70s, the 70s became the 80s, the 80s became the 90s, and then the turn of the century. But I remember those occasions as seeming much more significant than the beginning of a new decade seems to me now. And I wonder why this is?

Is it just because I'm getting older? Or does it have to do with leaving behind a decade that still doesn't quite have a name? Was it the Oughts? The Oughties? The Ohs, or the OhOhs? And what are we entering? The Teens?

You rarely hear references to the 20th century's teen years as the Teens. Why is that? When we refer to "The Turn Of The Century" do we mean the years 1900-1909, or does it go all the way to 1919?

I have a hard time imagining how the years 2010-2019
might distinguish themselves from the years 2000-2009. Though I'm sure they will, and I'm sure it will be interesting.


How funny to think that there will be a day when photos taken in the Oughts and the Teens will be as distinctive and representative of their decade as the photos on this post are of theirs.

I think another reason the change from one decade to another seems less significant to me than it used to is because new decades now make up much smaller percentages of my lifetime.

I was 25 when the 70s became the 80s - so the ten years of the 70s had comprised nearly half my lifetime. In contrast, the Oughts took up less than one fifth of my life so far. And the Teens will be even less.

There's a cheery thought for the new year