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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?

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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!

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Liz the Wanderer
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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.

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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

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#12

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
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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

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Az
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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
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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)
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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

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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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Iva Kazalova
Community Member
3 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I have been struggling to find low rise jeans, i feel so uncomfortable when they zip at my belly button instead of my hips, it feels like a medieval form of restraint and torture 🥺 plus high wasted jeans make my ass flat!

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

And the make your ass look long and weird. I hate those high waisted jeans and denim shorts too.

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

High rise jeans look horrendous. Like a grandpa who pulls his trousers up to his armpits.

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

Yes! That's what we used to call them in Australia, not low rise. Been trying to think of that for ages lol

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

I hated low rise, because like any teenager I was growing. At the start they would be loose, then fit right, then so tight you develop a muffin top. When I saw mid-rise jeans for the first time, I snapped them up and haven't looked back.

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

Skinny jeans are also one of the few types of jeans that look good on me :< they're not flattering on everyone, but the same applies to baggy jeans... I love a flare but it makes me look heavier and short

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

If Gen Z wants to make their mark by being different, find us a trend that is comfy AND flattering. Anyone who rebels for the sake of rebelling always winds up looking silly later. You don't need to define yourself solely by who you're not.

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

That along with the short shirts so we HAD to see the stomaches fall out all over the place. That was bad, gross, nasty - It really bothered me.

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Kathryn Baylis
Community Member
3 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Same for those of us who were “tweens” in the early seventies, when they were called “hip-huggers”. It was equally as difficult to maintain your dignity when trying to sit down in them. Lots of “cracks in the windshield”, if you’re receiving my drift.

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

My god, I’ve been stressing about this lately lol. I just fûcking refuse to do low rise jeans in any meaningful way. I can already sense the trend coming back. I love a good mid, and I’ve recently binged on high rise pants, but I will never ever ever do low rise again. It was the dumbest and ugliest trend imaginable.

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

Specially because you don't want to see all I'm hiding inside the high waist jeans. I swear you don't want to see. Believe me, when I say to you. Don't Google it either.

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

Never. EVER, let this come back ever again. All us long bodied peeps struggled the first time round. I literally could never find ones that looked remotely wearable. IE - covered the bits they actually needed too.....

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Annika Jorgensen
Community Member
3 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That goes for us short bodies to xD It was such a struggle to find any jeans that would actually cover at least some of your butt sitting down.

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

I love the low rise where you can see the naval and undies.

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

mam, every jean is a low rise jean, when they are too small for you.(cries as i watch my favorite jeans slowly get smol)

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

what is the point of exchanging one unflattering trend for another just to "be different" when it's not actually different... the high waist thing is one of the only trends that make me like how I look! We should care about being comfy WHILE wearing flattering things, regardless of whether it is different or what era it's associated with.

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

I don't care that much for skinny jeans, but yes, please give me those high-rise jeans!!! I will never wear low-rise jeans ever again in my life! And luckily I never wear my hair totally loose, so I never have a side or middle part :-).

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

Colleen, I am a huge fan, of you and Erik, please tell him I said hi!!! It would make my day! : )

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

I have weird hips because of those stupid low rise jeans. Love, love, love high rise jeans and will never give them up!

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

I don't personally wear jeans, but I prefer hi-wasted stuff- I wear it like a grandpa.

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

Were this the jeans for boys, which looked like they have s**t their pants. Not higher than under your A**? this jeans?

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

I had high waisted jeans until high school... because that was the only option. So glad there are options now!

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

I can't wear high waist anything, they give me a stomach ache. Something about restriction in that area just messes with me.

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

i like em, just let the ol belly hang right over instead of getting smooshed in jeans with an actual waist

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

The worst look was when we wore them with a tucked-in shirt. Look at Karen on the Office, or Deb on Dexter, for good examples. It made them look pear-shaped even though they weren't.

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

omg, i <3 colleen. also, as a "zoomer" i agree! high waisted pants are SO much better

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

I agree but I feel the same about the super high waist jeans and the skinny ones that are now in fashion and are not so comfortable

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Anarchy (they/them)
Community Member
3 years ago

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

low rise jeans would also bring back whale tails O_o

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

I think you're referring to what we call "butt antlers" but not sure... in any case, they were a nightmare

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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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