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June 14th, 2002

2k

Now that 2000 has passed, and we’ve all (mostly) survived, I can’t help but wonder if it’s time to retire the “2k” term.

Way back in the 20th Century, some artists and entertainers took it upon themselves to dub the year 2000 in some other fun, catchy, and shorter way. The trouble of saying the words “two-thousand” was a large burden, particularly given the issues of the day. We used to worry about gas approaching $2 per gallon, and the cost of Internet access topping $40 a month.

Will Smith tried to use another term: “2g”. As in “grand”, as in a subtle money reference. He did also try to call the new millennium the “Willennium”, something that never came to pass.

The reason I ask for “2k” to go away, though, is because of the silliness caused by years after 2000. Namely, 2k2 and 2k1; the latter is somehow associated with Alabama. A great way to remember 2k1! Mind you, the whole “k” business is just shaving one character off of typing the year out. It saves two syllables from speaking it. And therein may lie the problem: all of this hurry up, go-go lifestyle has infiltrated the way we talk about time.

Me? I’m going to be a fuddy-duddy and stick to the trends from the 20th Century. I’ll see you all in “two-thousand-and-three” next year.

Posted in Everyday Life

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