By the listeners of The Early Breakfast
On visiting my home-home where I grew up lately, hidden in the back of a drawer, I found a celeb magazine from 2004. It seemed to epitomise everything I remember about the noughties; skinny eyebrows, funny fashion, dreadful diet tips and Britney Spears drinking Starbucks. There was no mobile internet then, and Instagram and Twitter didn’t exist, so to get all the celebrity gossip you had to buy the trashy magazines and I loved them.
On a personal level, the noughties for me were about doing a great junior cert, doing a great leaving cert, just about scraping through college, travelling Australia and arriving home to the misery that was the recession.
As we approach the end of another decade (the teens? The tennies? The onesies? It’s an awkward one!), I and the listeners of The Early Breakfast reflect on how huge a chunk of time 10 years is. I started off this decade completely broke, unemployed, single… and pretty miserable actually. At the end of the decade, I have everything I have ever wanted in life. How lucky I am.
Here are some highs and lows from the listeners of The Early Breakfast:
- “Welcome back Paula. Over this last decade, we got married, we had our little girl, we bought our own home and now my eldest son is living with us. That's my highlights! Happy Christmas!”
- “I’m ready so say bye to the tennies too Paula... got married, got fat and got no money!” - Ter
- “Paula I emigrated to Australia in 2012... lasted 6 months and came home. On the night I arrived back I met a girl and we’re getting married next week. Best decade ever!”
Being asked to be a grooms'woman' for my friends' wedding two years ago definitely sticks out, thank you Moe and Tracy 😀
— Maeve (@Gremlinertia1) December 16, 2019
- “Morning Paula welcome back! This past decade has had so many ups and downs; I bought a house with my now ex, had 2 lovely boys then split up. Then I met the love of my life and married her and now I’ve a gorgeous step daughter too. My mam also passed away in April this year from cancer. There have been so many highs and so many lows but hopefully the next decade will have even more highs than lows! Thanks Paula and a Merry Christmas to you and yours!”
- “Hard to pick a highlight from the last decade here, we built our house, got married, had 4 kids, expanded the farm, built a new milking parlour, it was quiet enough really!” – Joe, Wicklow
- “Good morning Paula. Surely the last decade is called the Teenies?! Has been an amazing decade. From family and friends’ weddings, new generations being added to families and the amazing wedding to my best friend 3 years ago is surely the highlight. Like everything, it has had its ups and downs. We found out we cannot have children, losing very important people in our lives. But I would not change a minute of it. Surrounded by family and friends is all one could ask for. Happy Christmas” – Damo and Karen
- “Morning Paula, great to have ya back and happy Christmas! On my last commute from Wexford to Dublin of 2019. Rocky start to year for me personally, dealt with some mental health issues, started counselling which was life changing. Moved work, as did my wife. We bought a house and we've spent the last 6 or 7 weeks making it a home. Looking forward to 2020, but will look back on 2019 as huge learning curve, found out a lot about myself and am the stronger for it. Looking to Christmas and the new year! Try the teenies!” - Chris in Wexford
- “Hey Paula! Great to have you back! When I look back on this last decade there’s been lots of good times and lots of change. From breaking up with my boyfriend of 8 years to meeting the love of my life and moving in with him, to finally getting a permanent job after teaching for 6 years! I’ve always been surrounded by lots of support and love from wonderful friends and family and looking forward to spending the final Christmas of the teenies in Chicago with my family. Wishing you, Aidan and Roddy all the best for 2020.” - L in Dublin x
- “Hi Paula. I can’t wait to see the back of this decade. Lost my sister to cancer. My husband had an affair with my best friend’s sister. Since got divorced. But hey the next decade couldn’t be any worse!” - Sarah in Louth
- “Paula, at the start of this decade I was unemployed, broke, single and miserable. I now live in a house I own with my wife and have never been happier. A big circle!”
- “Good morning Sweetpea. So, for this nameless decade: built a house, got married, had three beautiful babies (mostly my wife's work!!), Bought a farm, and generally had a great time. Hope the next ten are as kind. Cheers, Conor, Juliette and Rose. (Mammy and Kate are still asleep)” - Conor
