What to Expect in 2004

Today’s a quasi-vacation day, so I’m writing this article in a Greenwich Village cafe, where people are on high alert about a possible terrorist attack and where a casual e-invitation—”Do you want to join us in Orlando this weekend?”—has sent me into an introspective downward spiral. Do I go for it, or do I stay away from a place I’ve always considered a target for terrorists?

Heavy stuff right before Christmas. But a good way to begin a column about predictions for 2004, because it reveals two counterintuitive trends: First, expect more of these e-invites and reunions generally—the impulse to “go local” with every possible permutation of lifestyles and lifestages past.