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We all have embarrassing moments that keep us up at night. It’s the awkward texts you’ve sent to someone, the way you acted around your crush, or basically anything you did as a teenager. Suddenly, you find yourself screaming “no, no, no” and asking for the earth to swallow you whole—anything to escape reliving those moments again.

Unfortunately, not everyone can escape them. Some have had those moments immortalized on the internet and published on sites like SorrowMemes. Luckily for everyone else though, many of them are truly hilarious. So, at least somebody is benefiting from the embarrassment, right? Scroll down to enjoy someone else’s pain.

#1

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But why do these embarrassing memories stick out to us so much? Why do we even remember them so vividly? Well, technically, we don’t really know that. Scientists do have their theories, though.

For example, Lia Kvavilashvili, a psychology researcher at the University of Hertfordshire who studies this phenomenon, that she dubbed “mind pops,” has a few ideas why it happens. One is that these embarrassing memories might be triggered by something in your environment. That is, you might see an item of clothing that reminds you of the time you embarrassed yourself by spilling wine all over yourself.

But what about the times you’re just lying in bed and your brain slaps you with a wet rag of past embarrassments? Well, that might be explained by Kvavilashvili’s other theory: the brain likes to play unresolved situations on loop. 

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See, oftentimes, at the moment when the embarrassment is happening, it feels like you’ve been caught and things were taken out of context. In a way, you think if people knew more about it, if you had had a chance to explain yourself, things wouldn’t look that bad. Scientists believe that interruptions like this one make you hold onto the memory for longer.

#5

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CascadedFalls
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My family members who are past 18 years old, have grown scales that deflect the rain drops that fall.

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However, neurobiologist James McGaugh believes it is all physiological. In the moment of embarrassment, you get excited and adrenaline rushes to your brain making the amygdala light up. The amygdala, in turn, persuades the rest of your brain that this moment is worth storing in the memory archives because you felt a lot during it.

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So, if this is all in the brain and there’s no way of stopping it from happening, is there a way to deal with it that would make you feel less perturbed when awful memories pop up? Well, of course, there is. And it’s not suppressing the memory or denying it ever happened. Melissa Dahl, the author of the book Cringeworthy: A Theory Of Awkwardness, suggests practicing humility. 

#10

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Hawkmoon
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This is the result of a cutting-edge scientific experiment called freezing. Very difficult to reproduce outside of a specialized laboratory. Don't try this at home!

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#12

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Moosy Girl
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

And then you have to sit in a car with this person for a while, ouch.

Phil Vaive
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I've seen this one so many times, and it makes no sense. Messages from Uber go through the Uber app, don't they?

Mary Peace
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

If someone texted,"I'm here for you," I'd react like that, but the OP knew they were expecting a Uber.

OneHappyPuppy
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

How is it always "I've lost all my contacts" in these posts? I still have numbers from elementary school friends in my phone ffs...

Sosha
Community Member
1 year ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Have lost my contacts 3 times now. First time changed my phone, second time lost my phone and third time, virus. But to be honest, don't really call anyone and rarely answer the calls so never really cared about losing contacts.

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Unlike what you might think, humility is not about undervaluing yourself and your work. It is recognizing yourself for who you are and knowing that you are not a big deal. The world doesn’t revolve around you, you are just a small part of it. 

#14

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Cjo
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Of course, they live to together, most identical octuplets do. LOL

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#15

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Roxy222uk
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This is something I find incredibly confusing and, I believe, shows completely that race is a social construct. If you have olive skin and black hair, speak Spanish, have a surname like Rodriquez or Hernandez, like to cook tortillas, and live in Europe you are considered white. If you have olive skin and black hair, speak Spanish, have a surname like Rodriquez or Hernandez, like to cook tortillas, and live in the Americas, you are considered a person of colour. I was astonished when Amy, in Superstore, referred to herself as 'a brown person'. Race has very little to do with DNA and is mostly how the rest of society views you.

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So, when something embarrassing happens, instead of thinking “Oh, how silly am I,” you should consider the fact that everyone experiences facepalm moments. You’re not alone in your embarrassment, it’s a universal feeling.

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You can also see it from the perspective of growth. If you look back at something you did a few years back and think the way you acted was awkward, notice that you’ve gained perspective. The fact that you can recognize your behavior was odd shows that you’ve grown and you will avoid acting that way again.

#19

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Jared Robinson
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Come on, we've all been here at some point. Maybe not this exact intersection but one that looked a whole helluva lot like it.

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#21

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weatherwitch
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That's just horrific if it's true why aren't the shelters doing the basic checks that would happen in the UK? Why the fk can't he provide safety and shelter for them? And if he only wants cats for outside, stop getting them!! I've worked with feral colony cats for cats, and this guy makes me feel so angry 😢

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Either way, show grace and kindness to yourself. After all, making mistakes is human. And, there’s a high chance only you can remember it anyway. Well, unless it’s online. Then there’s a chance that a lot of people remember it. Sorry about that.

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#25

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Surenu
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

"Never interrupt your enemy when he is making a mistake." - Napoleon Bonaparte, attributed

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#27

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Surenu
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

To be fair, if it was a Bag of Holding it's not supposed to do that and you'd be entitled to get your gold back

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#28

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Szzone
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Aren't lions scrictly speaking panthers? Originally, panthers are the collective name for big cats. The scientific name of lions is panthera leo.

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#31

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i.am.lost.
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1 year ago

This comment has been deleted.

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#35

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#37

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Surenu
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Not to make this dark or anything (joke, I am about to make this dark) but if someone threw a bag into the train I'm in I'd be worried at least.

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#40

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#43

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Happy Homemaker
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

What kind of plans does the hardware store have in place for your significant other? 🤨

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#45

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Mo Flores
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

People call UC Berkeley, right across the bridge from San Francisco, Cal, or California... She could be switching from a golden bear to a gator ~ 25 miles away

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#46

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Delta Dawn
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Not the whole story. “Correction: The original version of this article falsely stated that Tanya McDowell was sentenced to five years in prison solely after larceny conviction for falsifying her son's address to get him into a neighboring school district. The sentence, which came after a plea agreement, actually encompassed three crimes to which McDowell pleaded guilty: Larceny and two counts of sale of narcotics.” https://people.com/crime/mom-sentenced-to-5-years-in-prison-for-using-friends-address-to-enroll-son-in-school/

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#48

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Ranger Kanootsen
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1 year ago

This comment has been deleted.

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#50

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The Scout
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Spoiler: Most Italians actually can speak English and will gladly do so if you ask nicely instead of complaining and making a scene. But it is generally a bad idea to assume everyone everywhere speaks your language. Although, to be fair, most people do, as being bilingual or multilingual is completely normal in most parts of Europe and Asia.

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#57

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A B C the Third
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Uhm, how is this a "face palm moment" like the others? RR's analysis is pretty much spot-on.

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#58

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Surenu
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

To be fair, I have a trans friend who's insanely smart, so asking her is often quicker than using Google.

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#60

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WoodChuckCouldChuck
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

If this was true he should have been taken to the hospital for detox before being booked.

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#62

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keyboardtek
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Must live in The South, maybe Mississippi? Books and libraries are unknown down there.

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#66

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Jonathan MacFarlane
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Neither of these people are right. Axes were invented in about 30000 BC, and my one google search verifies that.

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#67

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Surenu
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Let's use Occams's Razor here. Which one is more complex? A jolly man in red brings presents once a year, or a worldwide conspiracy of parents, toy manufacturers, mall santas, TV stations and even NORAD? (I am aware I grossly oversimplified Occam's Razor here, it's a joke.)

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#71

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Trillian
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

To be fair, you do get different versions of me on different days. Yesterday me might have needed a coffee.

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#79

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Duncan
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I hate the fake close buttons they do now. You press it and it opens the store, go back and press it and it closes. The other thing is too....I don't want it the first time I press close, I still don't want it the fourth time. The only different is that now I am p***ed off.

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#80

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#81

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A B C the Third
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Weird it's almost always on the word fúck that there are these grey blobs. Wonder how that happens. 🤷‍♀️

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#86

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#98

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Montanavanna
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My coworker ages ago did exactly that. I was finishing up front of house. All she had left was to drain the oil. I hear all the cuss words coming from the kitchen. I rush back to see her with the most defeated look on her face standing over a lake of oil. I reassure her it will be OK and get to cleaning it up. She apologized a hundred times and said I did not have to stay. Nonsense, it would take her all night if she had to do it by herself. So we spent two hours moving equipment and moping up oil.

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#100

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#103

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David Paterson
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I'm just waiting for an adopted animal to start a lawsuit to claim money from their parent's deceased estate. Being a dependent and all.

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#104

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VonBlade
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

If you've got a keyboard where the space bar is labelled space, well...

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#105

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Ranger Kanootsen
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1 year ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Luke Cage, Falcon, A-Train, Blade, Cyborg, Firestorm, Nick Fury, Doorman, War Machine, Blue Ranger (from Power Rangers), Heimdall, Storm... and these are just the ones I can name off the top of my head

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#106

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Kevin Snyder
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I had neighbors like that. They asked me if I had cockroaches in my apartment as well. I told them that roaches aren't stupid; that I cleaned my kitchen, and bugs go where there is garbage. That's when the fight started.

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#108

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Bernd Herbert
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Again: customer and user reviews seemed like a good idea at first but some people are too dumb

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#112

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kazuha
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1 year ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

not surprising.. these days everything is considered inappropriate

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#113

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kazuha
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Guys you need to stop harassing this poor guy. He was being a kind, dedicated friend??? /s

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#115

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VonBlade
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

"But if you tell me how many digits are in your bank account balance, I could be flexible"

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#117

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kazuha
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

If my boyfriend said "yuck" about a tampon, I would run 🏃🏻‍♀️

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#118

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i.am.lost.
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The amount of stupidity that exists in this world...that people have to put allergen labels for peanut butter, saying it 'contains peanuts'. I have lost all hope once again.

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#119

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Katie Lutesinger
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I just imagined what my mum would do to the person who gave her this for Mother's Day. It wasn't pretty.

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#120

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#125

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Jared Robinson
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My stove doesn't have a f*****g "smelt" option. But apparently yours goes to 11

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#128

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The Goo King
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I think that's one of the ones designed to be opened with your elbow or wrist, avoiding touching it with your hands.

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#129

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Rinso the Red
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Love my generation. Only ones that can use a PC and can program the time on a VCR

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#130

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ladie rose
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

the original post said something like 'sometimes the right path is the one no one else on' and the reply is saying that the 'right' path is actually the left one. idk why bp cut out the important part

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