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Time is a strange beast. One moment you think it’s still 1999/2004/2012, the next you realize you’re sitting in 2021. Confused, with no idea where the years went, there you are, busily counting how old you are on your fingers. Time doesn’t just fly by: it soars, does loop-de-loops, backtracks and fast-forwards, drips like a leaky faucet, rushes like a raging river, and delights in making you feel old and still young all at once.

Well, our team over here at Bored Panda wants time to be on our side, so we’re about to make you feel old and pine for the '90s and 2000s. Did we say ‘feel old?’ Sorry! We meant ‘feel nostalgic.’ Whoops. You’ll definitely get these memes and jokes if you remember the '90s and 2000s well, so scroll on down for a trip down memory lane, and remember to upvote the pics that you liked the most. We’d also love to hear from you what trends, technologies, and events you liked the most from that era. So be sure to leave us a comment below.

Bored Panda wanted to learn more about our nostalgia for earlier decades, so we reached out to Kemi Omijeh, a child and adolescent therapist who is based in London and is also a member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP). Read on for her insights, dear Pandas!

#1

The Days Of Poor Graphics And Endless Hours Spent On These Games

The Days Of Poor Graphics And Endless Hours Spent On These Games

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#2

Anyone Else Get Mesmerized By The Windows 95 Screensavers As A Kid?

Anyone Else Get Mesmerized By The Windows 95 Screensavers As A Kid?

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According to therapist Omijeh, our memories of the past can contribute to our sense of self and well-being. "The period of time we tend to be nostalgic over are significant moments that stood out. Perhaps it was a time when we felt happiest or safest, or perhaps it’s a period where things changed for us."

She explained that the age we were at during the era doesn't matter as much as what exactly the time period represents to us. "Our memories of the past can change over time depending on how often we revisit and also depending on what is going on for us in the present."

#4

Latchkey Kids Unite!

Latchkey Kids Unite!

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Liz the Wanderer
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yes, when did this change? I was capable of having a snack and not dying when home alone at age 7.

anaelena avatar
Whimsy
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I used to peel, cut and fry potatoes and sunny side up or scrambled eggs by then. My mom worked all day until late at night so I was pretty much alone all the time if I wasn't at school or outside with friends.

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Andrew Gibb
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I wasn't allowed in the house unless it was meal or bed time.

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KT
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

And you don't see this as child neglect? Your parents wanting nothing to do with you day in and out?

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Arikan
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I am the mother of a 2,5-year-old and I recently realized society expect me to never leave him out of my sight for a second until he is at least 16. I am terrified.

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Aaron Kara
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I remember the front door being opened, that was the sign to leave and don't come back until you're covered in s**t you've and grazed your elbows and knees

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JuJu
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

And nobody could just call you on your phone. I disappeared into the woods for 6 hours and nobody freaked out. "Eh, she'll be back when she gets hungry. Just forgot the time while jumping from tree to tree."

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Flash Henry
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

When we had no school, me and other kids on the street would head into the woods right after breakfast and come home in time for dinner. No one checked on us.

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Mewton’s Third Paw
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

True but let’s be real, child abduction was statistically more common back in the 70s and 80s

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El Dee
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I was left home for hours and even full days when both my parents worked Saturdays but what has changed is the realisation that adults have been molesting children and taking advantage of these opportunities to do so..

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sturmwesen
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This has been an issue then too. Hence the only two weeks when I had to stay close while there were rumors about a shady person being around and supposedly kidnapping.

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Marika Miettinen
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I was even left home alone when I was 10 and had the flu. It was the first time I was sick during school time, before that I always got sick during vacations. Played so many computer games on that first sick day and it was great! :D Came home all alone when I was 8 and those moments alone were great! Grandma was worried that I'll burn the house down with the microwave oven though. After a couple of years it was me, my sister and 2 neighbour girls and we had our after school shenanigans. We tried out all the spices we found in each house, cooked bacon in the microwave oven, watched cartoons, played games, came up with new play pretend things.. Good times! And then the adults would come home and we'd get yelled at.

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NWB
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

yeah I hung out at home until the folks got home from like 7!

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RufffiesWithRidges
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Ohh how I was always left alone because my mom worked crazy hours. I would go exploring on my horse and be gone for hours!! I even remember staying out past 11 on Halloween night, by myself trick or treating. I grew up with dial-up phones, cable less tv, and had no idea what the internet even was. I played in the dirt, rode bikes, and had the best time...I feel kinda bad for kids today..there's no adventure for them unless they put down their devices and go outside...

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Leo Domitrix
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Gen Xer here. At age 8 I could cook my own supper unsupervised. So.... Uh.... wow. I could even stay home alone all day when *sick*. My mom had to work.

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Matt Collins
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Parents worked full time, M-F. My school, blissfully, only went M-Th... at least every Friday was home alone all day starting pretty early on.

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Casey B
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Me and my brother and sister spent plenty of time on our own... But of course we are the generation that survived drinking from the water hose, riding in the bed of a pickup truck, and not needing security lights to play outside.

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zovjraar
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

i was at home watching my younger siblings at 10 years old!

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Ivy Ruonakoski
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I took the bus to my grandparents place after school between ages 7-12, or walked home with a friend. No phones.

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Ms.GB
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Right? I saw my parents at 7am and then not again until 7 or 8pm...

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Trinity
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Question- I'm to young to understand this, what does it mean?

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Aliquid A
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Parents used to leave their kids alone all the time, not sure why it is an issue now. I knew lots of kids that went home alone after school by grade 6, and were alone until their parents came home from work.

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Anxiety
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Still happens with my parents, but then again I am legally allowed to watch my siblings

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EQXL
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Tons less people, tons less cars, tons less stressed people in a huge hurry, communities looking our for eachother. Ow yeah don't forget how these days people get amazingly judgemental as soon as you put the trash outside while your kids are inside the house without another adult.

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Leslie Burleson
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Lol seriously !! We used to stay home when my mom went somewhere when we were 7,6, and 4 respectively . That was normal. If I'd have left my kids home along at that age they definitely would've burned the house down somehow

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KT
Community Member
3 years ago

This comment is hidden. Click here to view.

Yeah leaving your kid at home alone for hours is not good and I have loved through the horrors of it all too well. My husband was hospitalized because his mom left him alone at age 5 with only processed cheese and meat to eat and he got a blocked colon and also set their house on fire while trying to cook for himself

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Ms.GB
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yeah...that's abuse, there is no way a 5 yr old should be left alone.

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Omijeh joked that "of course, the '90s was better! But then again, I may be being very biased here." The therapist pointed out that who we were during each decade will influence our impressions of it.

"Generally speaking, the better decade is associated with youth and freedom. Nostalgia also often gives us rose-tinted glasses from which to reflect from. How we reflect on the past decades can play a part in how we engage with the current decade." If you're living in the UK and would like to speak to a therapist, you can find a counseling professional through the BACP right here.

#7

Movie Time In School

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#8

I Member...

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Mrs_ Possum
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3 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I am this old!! When I saw this pic, I literally heard the thunk of the ball hitting the pad, and the rip of taking it off to throw again.. Aah, good times 😄🤣

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Bored Panda previously spoke about nostalgia with therapist Omijeh in more depth. "Many psychologists, myself included, believe our childhood is the foundation to who we are as adults. It explains why we frequently revisit our childhood as it influences our present," Omijeh told Bored Panda.

According to Omijeh, the kind of childhoods that we had directly correlates to how we remember our childhood experiences. To put it simply: we’re nostalgic for the times that we felt loved and nurtured.

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“If we’ve had a difficult childhood, it can be hard to feel nostalgic, instead it will feel like something we need to get over in order to move on," the therapist said.

#11

Gather Round, Children, While I Tell You Of Bath Beads

Gather Round, Children, While I Tell You Of Bath Beads

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#12

Burning The Sickest Cds In The Neighborhood

Burning The Sickest Cds In The Neighborhood

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"Nostalgia can also be a good coping strategy for times of low mood and challenges," she detailed. However, she warned that nostalgia is only useful to a certain extent. The moment it starts interfering with our ability to be present in our everyday lives is the moment that we should start to be worried.

“If we end up comparing it to our experiences today and feeling like nothing is as good as it was, then this will inevitably affect our mood and our ability to do what we need to do," Omijeh said. “We can become stuck in our nostalgia; in which case it might be best to seek help from a counseling professional to help you process your past in order to enjoy your present,” the therapist explained. In short, it’s fine if you feel nostalgic for the 90s and 2000s, but remember to enjoy 2021, too!

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#14

Sure Grandma

Sure Grandma

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Wilf
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

You kids! I used to have one of those fake cassettes with a headphone wire... to play my Sony Discman...

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#15

Fridays At Blockbuster

Fridays At Blockbuster

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Az
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Remember driving around to all the video shops in town to find the movie you wanted to watch?

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Earlier, Bored Panda also spoke about the changes in technologies and trends over the past few decades with Ramona Pringle, who is the Director of the Creative Innovation Studio and Associate Professor at the RTA School of Media at Ryerson University.

According to her, even if we know what trends occurred in the past, we can’t say for certain what the future will hold. “We don’t know what the future holds, and anyone who says that they do is selling snake oil. But, there are certain things we can count on: we love stories, and we love to be part of something biggest than ourselves. Be it oral storytelling, books, blogs, movies, or video games, we’ve never lost our love of narrative.”

Entertainment and connectivity, then, will continue being a vital part of our history as human beings as we move boldly (or trembling slightly from excitement and anxiety) into the future. “Equally true, even when we can’t go into a concert hall or colosseum, we look for ways to be together, connected, and part of a communal experience. The tech might change, but these will continue to be the drivers of our entertainment experiences,” Pringle said.

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#17

Lol

Lol

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Daria B
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Remember when you had to play Final Fantasy in 3 or 4 separate CDs? ♡

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#18

It Really Was

It Really Was

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Foxxy (The Original)
Community Member
3 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

And do you think I can remember how to fold them like that? I used to start all my letters with Hey Chicky or Hey Chicka dee and end with Catch ya round like a fruit loop.

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Pringle explained to Bored Panda that over the next decade, entertainment tech will change and improve, focusing even more on immersion and interactivity. 

“For the last decade, we’ve leaned into virtual reality because of how it enables both of these. We can step inside a world and have influence over it, and the story or experience that unfolds,” she said. “I think one of the things we can expect moving forward is, in a sense, the opposite of virtual reality. Instead, more of an enhanced reality or fictional reality, wherein the entertainment isn’t in a headset, but instead, all around us.”

#20

How Many Of Us 90s Kids Destroyed Our Family Computer With Viruses For Free Music?

How Many Of Us 90s Kids Destroyed Our Family Computer With Viruses For Free Music?

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Willow Quinn
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Your youth is showing. Many of us will never forget the original. RIP Napster

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The changes to tech have been massive, but we’ve absorbed them so well (some of us, anyway) that we sometimes don’t even notice them anymore.

“A decade ago, we didn’t talk to robots. Today, many of us do,” Pringle detailed. “Siri and Alexa are some of the more common bots, but we already interface with non-human characters regularly. As technology advances, including augmented reality and mixed reality, I think we can expect that entertainment will be something we can engage with off of the screen, but out in the world, with characters and stories we can engage with throughout the day, or throughout our houses.”

#23

Who Remembers These?

Who Remembers These?

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The rise of e-sports is one clue that the ways that people engage one another change in unexpected and often surprising ways. “Whoever would have thought that people would pay money to watch other people play games? Media that engages us and gives us something to gather around, be it together, or virtually, is something that will always appeal to us.”

#26

The Early 2000s

The Early 2000s

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Loa Mun
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I believe this trend had a big come back last year or so

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Pringle made some more predictions about the near future: “I think we can expect to see the ebb and flow of experiences that bring people together offline and then on screen, or online, as well. In the last few years, we’ve seen the rise of interactive and immersive venues like the museum of ice cream or the Dr. Seuss experience,”

#29

TV Guides

TV Guides

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Foxxy (The Original)
Community Member
3 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My Nanna still gets the TV guide from the Sunday newspaper and goes through it marking all the shows she wants to watch or record.

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She continued: “These are places we can go, with friends and family, and have a shared experience. It feeds back into our online experiences because we can share photos or memories and these environments are designed to foster that. Certainly, as we find ourselves in a time of social distancing, we’re seeing new creative ways of “being together” even when we’re apart. So I think we can expect to see entertainment that helps us connect, be it online or off, and immerses us in an experience, story, or community.”

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#33

Getting Blisters

Getting Blisters

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nanashi
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

glad my mom never bought me these even after several times asking, or I'd too experience the blisters

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#34

The Memories

The Memories

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Randomcthulu
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I really miss this, got more free pizza from Bookit buttons, and their salad/pizza bars were great

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#35

Putting Bike Beads On Your Bike

Putting Bike Beads On Your Bike

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#36

A Late 90s Classroom

A Late 90s Classroom

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Nora
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

And I'm so ancient over here, we just had pencils and paper. Hey, remember pencil sharpeners? Those were great. Ah.. the good ole days

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#37

Where’s The Remote?

Where’s The Remote?

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IronEagle
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Never grew out of that - still search the house for AA's for my xbox controller because I'm to old school to get 'play and charge' kits... No TV remote batteries are safe in this house.

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#40

I'm So Glad...

I'm So Glad...

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JuJu
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I have a big box full of photos and photographic negatives... I was the only one with a really good flash on her camera - I could blackmail them all *evil laughter*

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#41

Low Rise Jeans

Low Rise Jeans

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Isabella
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I love low and mediul rise jeans and hate the high waisted ones ! I am that old! :))))

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#42

This Was The Life

This Was The Life

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James016
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Daytime Tv for the win. When I was 13 I got very sick and was off school for half a term, about 2 months. All I could do was watch daytime tv. Thankfully MTV was still good back then

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#44

Crackin' Open A New Laser Pointer With All Those Attachments

Crackin' Open A New Laser Pointer With All Those Attachments

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#47

If You Were Raise In The 90s

If You Were Raise In The 90s

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Madre_Dr4gnZFly
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Dial up internet...every department store had racks full of AOL discs. ("You've got mail!")

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#49

Take Your Vitamins

Take Your Vitamins

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#50

Is It Haunted?

Is It Haunted?

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Chyppa Homer
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I was always wondering, where the hell are the spirits from the recently deceased ? How come, no ghost ever moans :"What's the wi-fi pass ?" :D

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