In the late 90s we wondered what the next decade would be called.  

Here it is, the decade in question is now over, and we never answered the question. 

Isn't that funny! Maybe that's why it feels like a lost decade. Never got a name. 

Now I'm hearing people call the next year "twenty-twelve" even though this year was, as far as I'm concerned, "two thousand eleven."  

Doc Searls asks if this is a trend, and I think it is. I think we'll look back and think "two thousand twelve" sounds funny.  

Here's why. 

We just came out of a decade that forced us, for the sake of clarity, to name the years as follows: 

Two thousand one. 

Two thousand two. 

Etc. 

Why? Because the following would have been ambiguous: 

Twenty one. 

Twenty two. 

Etc. 

But starting in 2010, there was no more ambiguity. Why did it take people this long to adjust? 

I have no theory about that! 

A little diversion on our way into the next year, whatever it may be called.