25 Things that Make Me Feel Old in 2025
We’re days away from the 25th anniversary of Y2K. Remember back when computer programmers were scrambling to modify a glitch in operating systems that only allowed for a 2-digit year before December 31st, 1999 at midnight to ensure computers wouldn’t think it was 1900 again? For you younger folks, this actually happened, and it had the world on edge for a year, although it turned out to be much ado about nothing. If you remember this like I do, and the fact that this was a quarter century ago, immediately makes you feel pretty old. No need to thank me for this reminder, but in honor of the completion of the first quarter of the 21st century, here are 25 other facts, about myself, pop culture, politics, and technology that make me feel old:
- I have now been a real estate agent longer than I was a child living with my parents.
- I recently helped the daughter of a past client buy her first home in Playa Vista. When I helped her parents buy their home, she was 9.
- In 2000, the developers of Playa Vista were still conducting land studies. Now the area is home to over 14,000 residents.
- In Y2K, I was planning my summer internship after my junior year of college. Now I’m planning which middle school our son is going to go to.
- The song that reminds me most of that summer in the year 2000 is Nelly’s Country Grammar.
- I have been legally old enough to drink alcohol longer than I was not legally able to drink.
- At that time, two drinks would be the start of a good night. Now two drinks will put me to sleep and give me a hangover.
- In 2000, we left our apartment doors unlocked, so the neighbors could come over anytime they wanted. Now, we spend hundreds of dollars a year on alarm service, security cameras, and neighborhood patrol to keep everyone out.
- I have been legally able to drive for almost 2/3 of my life to date.
- I have owned or leased 8 cars and never more than one at a time or for less than two years.
- In 2000, I used to play football without pads or helmet and almost never got hurt. Now, I rarely go a week without a random pain or muscle pull that I’m not sure how it happened.
- Saturday Night Live is now in their 50th season and I have been watching it since its 20th.
- A quarter century ago, a gallon of gas was $1.50. Now it’s closer to $5.00.
- The Dow Jones was around 11,000 in the year 2000. Now it’s over 40,000.
- In 2000, the median price of a home in LA County was $221,000. In October 2024, it was $900,000.
- In 2000, rapper, Eminem, launched his top selling album, The Marshall Mathers LP. In 2025, Eminem is a 52-year-old soon to be grandfather, who speaks at political rallies.
- In 2000, Michael Jordan was still in the NBA and LeBron James was a freshman in high school.
- In 2000, the Lakers won their first title with Shaq and Kobe.
- In 2000, Barack Obama ran for the House of Representatives and lost by 31 points.
- In 2000, Donald Trump ended his first presidential campaign as a candidate for the Reform Party.
- A quarter century before 2000, Gerald Ford was the president.
- In 2000, only 41.5% of the U.S. population had internet in their homes.
- In 2000, people were downloading 14,000 songs per minute for free using Napster and the iPod was a year away from being launched. Now Apple Music is set to have over $10 billion in annual revenue.
- In 2000, social media consisted of instant messengers and online chat groups. We were still two years away from the launch of Friendster, three years before MySpace, and four years before Facebook.
- In 2000, usage of Google, which was founded in 1998, began to grow exponentially as the search engine Yahoo! began using it for their search results.
It is mind blowing that a quarter century has passed since these events that feel like just a few years ago! In many ways, life was much simpler back then. In 2050, I hope we can look back on 2025 with as much nostalgia and with the satisfaction that the world is a better place. Wishing everyone a happy new year and strong second quarter to the 21st Century!