January is always a crossroads month. Everyone seems ready to jump back into the routine, clear out clutter and get busy. Yet, it is also a great time to take a moment and examine the territory we have crossed, and look toward the future path ahead. It is a time of forgiving, forgetting, organizing, dreaming, planning and resolving.
The weight of a new decade makes this process even more poignant. Before jumping back into the daily grind, let's take a moment to pause and consider: where were you ten years ago? What did the world look like to you then, and what did you hope for? What did you imagine the world would look like in 2010?
Imagine you are holding the last decade like a Star Trek style crystal prism in your hand where you can twist, turn, and review images from 2000-2010. When the ball dropped exactly ten years ago at the dawning of the new millennium, everyone was in world wide panic about "Y2K" and world wide destruction. Remember that ultimate dénouement?
Ten years ago today, the Supreme Court was debating who would be president. Al Gore lost, bummed out for a year or so, made up a slide show - and now global warming is a household word. The world has been rocked by severe weather patterns world-wide, melted glaciers, extinct species of animals, and polluted waters. Who knows how we will deal with it in the next ten years.
A decade ago, September 11th had not yet happened, and flying in an airplane was still a pleasant experience. We were not at war. We did not know what swine flu was, and had no idea the entire financial market would crash, leaving millions broke, out of a job and without health care. Gas prices in 2000 averaged about $1.46/gallon.
In the year 2000, only 35% of us had email, and most of us had never heard of a laptop or had a cell phone. We had hobbies then. We actually talked on the land line, watched TV shows at the time they were aired, and listened to an entire CD for music entertainment.
When you get right down to it, the fundamental changes in how we interact with one another over the last decade are beyond astounding. Think of it:
•Today over 85% of American's use cell phones and 81% of use their phones for data use; texting, emails, photos or games. My kids rarely "talk" on their phones.
•A decade ago, the word "blog" did not exist. In fact, Brad Graham, the man who coined the word, "blogosphere" died this week at the age of 41. See NPR article here:
Now there are over 900,000 blogs posts written every day.
•Wikipedia launched in 2001- and is now the largest reference source world wide- written by anyone and everyone. Goodbye encyclopedias and dictionaries.
•A couple of brainiac PhD students invented Google, just over ten years ago, and today Larry Page is worth over 12 billion dollars at age 36.
•Social Networking dominates our culture, yet only came on the scene in the last half of the decade. Check out this time warp: YouTube launched in 2005, Facebook - a toddler of a new business, launched in 2007 and Twitter - veritable baby, hit the streets in November, 2008.
Today, over 200 million of us are using Facebook, with no end in sight.
"Every once in a while a platform comes along that allows people to build a completely new application -- sometimes even starts new industries," said Mark Zuckerberg at his national launch a mere THREE years ago.
When Kings and Queens found themselves stressed out with the weight of the world on their shoulders, they would call in the Court Jester or the Fool. The sheer frivolity of their antics would counterbalance life's magnitude, and bring joyful laughter.
The world could use a few Court Jesters- and I found a one in the subterfuge group, Improv Everywhere. Their purpose is to "cause scenes of chaos and joy in public places." Their New Year's mission is called, "No Pants Subway Ride 2010." Overwhelmed by the decade looming ahead? Feeling defeated by your New Year's resolutions already? Just take your pants off!
This Sunday in New York City, thousands of people are riding the subways - and calmly taking their pants off while going about their everyday business. That's right. Imagine sitting on the blue line, texting away in 2010 bliss, only to notice your neighbor shedding her jeans and waiting for her next stop in her panties - and they guy next to her in his boxers. Why you ask? Well, why not?
No matter how far our technologies push us, or what scary disaster is waiting around the corner, nothing can replace the tenacity of the human spirit, or our uncanny ways to come together.
Check it out:
Pants on, or pants off; here's to another ten years. Enjoy the ride!
SO, Huff Po readers, what amazed you in the past ten years? What funny ways do you counterbalance life's weights? Love to hear your comments below, and feel free to follow me on Facebook. Click on Become a Fan to receive weekly updates.
Follow Kari Henley on Twitter: www.twitter.com/karihenley
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Nice round-up of the decade. To me the most astounding occurance was that Americans didn't revolt at the election booths after the Bush administra
Best wishes,
little brothr
we just loved the video
as a native New Yorker it makes me appreciate the NYC mind
it is kind to bring it to or attention
Your blog is spot on the title is cool
May 2010 be the best for everyone,
Ed
Taking pants off in public is such a loud cry for attention. Thank you Kari for hearing the call from the last decade. May we use these lessons for the new years that welcome us into this decade!
Love,
Eli Davidson
This cry for attention is like 'Horton hears a Who' when whoville shouts
"We are here, We are here"
People will be more vocal in the future.
The work was very important, because the chief occupation
Purposeful skewering is actually a very moral vocation. Not only that - shish-keba
You are really something! Thanks for taking the time to wrap up the last decade. Actually, I am amazed and not only what happened, but by all the things that hadn't yet! I've been thinking about the topic, myself, from the 'where-to-
May all be well, all inpired, all nourished, and all appreciati
Cara
I believe that is Exactly the next step!
I looked back at my life. Exactly ten years ago, I remarried and moved to a new area. Fast forward birth of twins, raising a big family and settling in roots and here I am. Seems like about five seconds. My husband and I also realized the next ten years means a LOT of tuitions! :)
Sometimes it is fun to look forward, and sometimes burying the head in the sand is fun too! :) Thanks for stopping by and in ten years your new Grandbaby will be in 4th grade! How ya like Them Apples?? :)
Love
kari
Thanks for contributi
Bill
Always love to hear you thoughts as we roll onward and upward (pants or no!) :)
What a fabulous recap on a decade Newsweek has dubbed the worst decade ever! It really does makes one's head spin to consider all the things you've mentioned. Are we any happier now than we were 10 years ago? Are we any better off? I guess it's all a matter of perspectiv
So while I appreciate the incredible research you did to bring us this look back, frankly, I'd just as soon look ahead and hope that things can only get better from here. I think we're still in the middle of the "modern Dark Ages". We need some light in here!
Thanks for bringing your light. Blessings for a wonderful new year,
Judith
While there are many "forgettab
What excites me is the incredible speed of which incredible things can happen. It no longer takes decades to really get a company off the ground- it can happen in a matter of months.
We also managed to elect Barack Obama president, and no matter what everyone says now. I still believe that "Yes We Can."
Love
kari
I wonder where on earth we shall all be at in 10 years time. The mind boggles.
Love,
Anne
THe mind is so boggled, ya just have to ride the subway sans pants! :)
Thanks for stopping by!
K
Aside from the Royalty wishing, I thought this was a great decade hash.