Time flies and it is already 2024. When younger, in my 40s, I had no preconceived idea of what the 2020s would look like, although I remember the year 2000 like it was yesterday.

It began with the Y2K fiasco when this century began.   Because the computer calendars were not able to format correct dates beyond 1999, there was a panic that there was a potential to bring down established computer systems in that new year. Companies panicked and the prediction was it could cost 600 billion dollars to rectify. It was predicted that airplanes would not be able to fly and banks and ATMs would not be able to process money.  Everyone held their breath when they went to bed on the night of December 31, 1999, and let out that breath in a huge sigh when practically nothing out of the ordinary happened.

Brad Pitt and Jennifer Anniston disclosed their secret romance in the year 2000, having a lavish million dollar wedding attended by more than 200 celebrities.  Alas, their union ended in 2005 with the rumor that they split because Jennifer Anniston wanted to focus on her career rather than have children.  This was reportedly untrue, but less than a year after their split, Brad married Angelina Jolie and the ended up with 6 kiddos.

The year 2000 saw the arrival of the Nintendo Game Cube, a game console which highlighted Mario and Luigi, who are still going strong today on much more sophisticated devices. I am embarrassed to say that my granddaughter, age nine, can beat me at this game with all of its hidden advantages. Mario and Luigi have progressed beyond their littles hops and jumps to be able to fly, disappear, and throw numerous cartoonish items at their opponents.

Also, Apple introduced the iPod in the year 2000, which enabled everyone to bring this pocket sized music player anywhere. It was quite the invention, which progressed into the development of the iPhone in 2007.

“Yo” became an informal greeting, mostly used by “bros”.  OMG emerged as a short cut for “Oh my GOD!” “Take a chill pill” became a sarcastic remark to say to someone who was “freaking out”.

 Boy bands such as NSYNC and girl singers such as Britney Spears created excited, screaming audiences as they blasted onto the stage.

Eminem won Artist of the Decade.

The new century created a new type of television show, Reality TV, with Big Brother leading the pack. Survivor soon followed, which saw RI native, Richard Hatch, prancing around naked among a group of fellow players stranded on a dessert island. (One might think he was on the wrong show, but Naked and Afraid did not premiere until 2013.)

The year 2000 saw the first recount of a presidential election, with the hanging chads wrecking havoc with the results until George Bush was declared the winner. The Peanuts comic strip saw its last new publication. Friends was the number one television show, (which may have contributed to Jennifer Anniston’s choice to not have children right away with Brad Pitt, although she denies this.). “Who Let the Dogs Out” became a popular song.

The year 2000 was 24 years ago, when I was much younger. The old adage “Time Flies” is true.  It seems like only yesterday.