May 26, 2024: The End Of Time?

As a writer and editor, I realize I'm having a hard time keeping up with recent history. By which I mean, I can conjure what life was like in – say – the 1950s, or the 1970s, or the 1990s with vivid clarity. But my brain breaks down totally when I try to recall what life was like in, say, 2004. Or 2014.

Part of that could be because period-piece history has a way of collapsing; when I think "the 1970s," my brain tends to conjure "earth-tone yellow-brown kitchens" alongside ABBA's "Voulez-Vous," even though there's nearly 10 whole years dividing those two. Nonetheless, I'd be happy if my brain could come up with what "something vaguely 2000s-y" felt like. It's felt like now for an awful long time.

I don't know if anyone else feels the same way, but if you have any writerly resources, period-piece recommendations, or other insight, I'd love to hear about it on the forums!

-- Steven Marsh