Twenty-twelve

I wonder what everyone called the early years of the 20th century? I’ve heard they called it “the aughts.” But then again, I’ve also heard that some people called the early 2000s “the aughts” but never actually met anyone who called them that.

I wonder about the last century because I’m still figuring out this one. I still don’t know what to call the first 10 years of the 21st century. The 2000s?

I know I called 2000, the year two-thousand. And I know I called 2001, two-thousand one, or oh-one. I continued that parallel through the first 10 years. And then even 2010, I called two-thousand ten, or oh-ten for the fun of it.

Last year, I still called 2011, two-thousand eleven. But I couldn’t keep pushing oh-eleven. That just doesn’t roll of the tongue like oh-ten does. The “oh” had to go.

Now here we are in 2012. And this is the first year I’ve actually switched to 20. To me now, 2012 is twenty-twelve.

Sounds like the century has hit puberty. And I’m still figuring it out.