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As you're growing up, politicians, teachers, and pretty much everyone around you keep repeating that you are the future of this world. The person who will shape the way it looks tomorrow. But before you can take it all in, it's already the day after, the echo of those words has faded, and the only thing you're left with is that annoying back pain that doesn't go away no matter what mobility exercise you're doing.

But don't worry, this realization is part of maturity. To make it easier to accept, the subreddit 'Heck I'm Old' shares posts from people who are in the same position and choose to reminisce with smiles and giggles. So let's scroll through what they have to offer and maybe, just maybe, knowing that the past is still alive in our collective memory is exactly what we need to feel better about our wrinkles and graying hair.

#1

Who Is Old Enough To Remember All Of These?

Who Is Old Enough To Remember All Of These?

HeO2Diver1101 Report

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Savahax
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

If you've got kids, get them this. It's one of the things that got me fascinated about shapes and patterns

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#2

I Feel Personally Attacked

I Feel Personally Attacked

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Mike F
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

If I hear about someone doing those things it's while reading their obit.

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While the inevitable passage of time certainly takes a lot of things away from us, it does provide quite a few as well. One of its most important contributions is to the way we feel.

Positive and negative affects (mood) seem to operate independently of each other: you can have a lot or a little of either or both.

"High affect" people score above average on both positive and negative mood levels, while "low affect" people score less on both.

No matter which type you start out with, you can expect your affect levels to change in a favorable trajectory over the course of your life.


#3

Nuff Said

Nuff Said

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Shelli Aderman
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

“Billy Jean is not my lover and the CHAIR is not my son!” This lived in my brain for far too long! 🤣

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#4

Let's Start Telling It Without Telling Your Age LOL Let's Who Will Win

Let's Start Telling It Without Telling Your Age LOL Let's Who Will Win

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Trillian
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Also an immense hatred of the radio DJ who would then talk into the song

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Liz The Biz
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

You had to get up, walk to the tv and press a button to change the channel. Sometimes you had to move the aerial to get a picture.

Tiny Dancer
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Rabbit ears wrapped in tin foil for crystal clear reception. Kids today with their skinny HD TVs. Not even enough room for a good pair of rabbit ears!

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Ozymandias73
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Using the phone to call a number to find out what time it was

Id row
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Winning a 10th caller radio contest on a rotary phone. I'm still proud of that.

T Barth
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That my house had a party line telephone and 2 long rings meant that the incoming phone call was meant for our house.

S Bow
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

With nosy neighbors listening to your call. Hang up Gladys, this call is for me.

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Cathy G
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yellow pages to find phone numbers and addresses. Maps and map books to find addresses and how to get to them.

Damned_Cat
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I typed a letter then realized I left something out, so I had to retype the whole thing over again.

Andy Frobig
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Putting a penny on the tone arm to keep the record from skipping. BTW, that meant you needed a new stylus

The Phantom Stranger
Community Member
1 month ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I have an old 70's era Bakelite rotary phone that I use as a bookend because it's so heavy (it's also great for cracking coconuts and driving tent stakes.) I had to explain to my goddaughter that not only was it an actual, functional telephone, but that's where the term "dialing the phone" came from

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Dawn Marie
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

A phone that you had to dial, in the kitchen attached to the wall with a long cord and there was only one in the house!!

Bowie 923
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

And gas wars! Intersections with gas stations on all four corners and those flip signs with gas prices flipping lower and lower

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Cathy G
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Smelling the mimeograph paper handed out by the teacher in class.

Cathy G
Community Member
1 month ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Phone booths on streets, in stores, the courthouse. The home phone was attached to the wall, usually in a hall or the kitchen and there was a long cord that attached the handset to the phone. If you were rich, you had a second stand-alone phone in the master bedroom or the husband's office/den.

Nikki Gross
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The antenna on top of the house that moved every damn time the wind would blow. Having only one wall to plug our wood console TV into because that was the ONLY one in the house connected to the outside antenna. Having Cable was a pipedream because that s**t is still expensive.

Daniel Marsh
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

How about I lost my shot at high score because Mom used the phone?

Bidango Smith
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Video games cost 25 cents and you had to go to an arcade to play them.

Sarah Jones
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Programming the start and stop times into your video recorder, and missing the end of the film because the TV channel was behind schedule

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

Two words: Skate Key. Oh! And “pulling the choke” was not a euphemism.

Gracie Mae
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

we called a specific phone number (per location, before '800' #'s) to find out what time it was! (Came in handy when the power had been out for any length of time)

Chewie Baron
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I remember watching the first ever programme to appear on Channel 4. It was Countdown.

Linda Riebel
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Telephones were owned by the phone company and were permanently attached to the wall. Also black and heavy.

Baali Venomax
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

breaking the speed limit to get back from the toilet before the ads ended and the show you were watching came back on.

Philippa Davies
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Using MS DOS to access a computer used solely for one game that my sister and I were allowed to play

DP Nerill
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Had to buy a book of BASIC games we had to type in ourselves, save to a cassette tape, load the game on to a 16-bit TMS9900 CPU running at 3 MHz based computer to play. Most were short little games mostly using the RANDOM code to change things up a bit. AND we thought we were all being on the forward point of technology. At the time I guess we were.

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Griffy
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Cars without A/C, only had AM radio, no catalytic converter, no onboard engine computer, and no shoulder belts. My parents had a 76 Chevy Vega that did not have any of the above except shoulder belts. It had the shoulder seatbelt.

Cathy G
Community Member
1 month ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Getting dressed up to go to Disneyland, paying an entrance fee to get in, then buying books of tickets at booths throughout the park.

Beth Wheeler
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Vacuum tubes in TV's. My son was watching some stupid anime c**p earlier and it said something about a vacuum tube. I told him kids today have no idea of what that is

any rei
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

You had to really concentrate when you wanted to call someone and dialed the number and you needed to wait for the dial to be in right position before dialing the next number.

Mjskywalk
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I’m training my kids right. I have a CRT tv set up on channel 3 and they are playing Legend of Zelda for the SNES.

Subaru645
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

You hand to turn the big round k**b by hand, and we’re 13 numbers on it

Manic Mama
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

There was no air conditioning in cars, no music, and no radio between towns. And if there were seatbelts in the car, wearing them was optional.

My O My
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Having to play your Sega games in one sitting - no save button!

Susan
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Not just Sega. I remember getting to one of the final levels in the original Mario Bros on the first Nintendo and having to pee so bad. I handed off the controller to a friend to play till I got back with threats to their life if they messed it up.

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

If the phone rings and someone picks up, there goes your download...

Debby Keir
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Hey, you're too young - we only had 2 channels (BBC and ITV) and no videos.

Dusty's mom
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I used a circular slide rule and paper charts to plan my flights, and called in my flight plans by rotary phone.

Grey Beard
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

When I talk about Battlestar Galactica and young people say it's a really old show, then I say "no I'm talking about the original version" .

Lihi Porat
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I was a kid when the transition from VCR to DVD was happening, so I learned how to use both

Deson
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Our local TV station broadcasted on channel 3 so it was channel 4 for us.

highwaycrossingfrog
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Isn't video games only working on channel 3 just the same as having to switch TV source to HDMI input X?

Cathy Roberts
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Literally dialing the phone....and there was a party line so there was a chance you'd pick up on a neighbors conversation.

D. Pitbull
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

HAHAHHAHA omg. Yeah, I've known I'm old for... well... a while. This confirms it. Even funnier, this is one of my fonder memories of childhood.

WindySwede
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

'Monty on the run' started on the 125-mark on the tape.

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According to research published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, both men and women see an increase in positive affect as they get older (women, in particular, see a greater and accelerating increase).

On average, negative affect does not change for women predictably with age, but it decreases for aging men (with the caveat that the decrease is more pronounced for married men; for unmarried men, negative affect is elevated at every stage of life).

#8

If You Can Tell What This Is, You Might Be Old

If You Can Tell What This Is, You Might Be Old

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Many theories have been proposed for why this happens. But a 2013 review of research indicates that older people develop at least three distinct emotional skills: 1) they react less to negative situations, 2) they are better at ignoring irrelevant negative stimuli than they were when younger, and 3) they remember more positive than negative information.

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Basically, it's like knowing your negative emotions won’t last so you disregard them when they do arise and get a head start on the good feelings.

#9

You May Be Old, But Are You This Old?

You May Be Old, But Are You This Old?

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Scott Rackley
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Someone's fancy with their wall phone. Mamaw had a desk telephone you could use as a weapon.

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#10

You’re Old, But Are You This Old?

You’re Old, But Are You This Old?

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#12

Some Of You Can “Feel” This Door In Your Mind

Some Of You Can “Feel” This Door In Your Mind

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Jeff Gabrisl
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Pfft, please, that belongs to a 4 door. Only us real ones know the weight of a 2 door, the door was taller than you and weighed more than the engine....

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Arthur Brooks, who is a professor at the Harvard Kennedy School and the Harvard Business School, where he teaches courses on leadership and happiness, thinks that when we're talking about growing old, we also have to mention changes in personality.

"Personality is generally separated by psychologists into five parts: openness to experience, conscientiousness, extroversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism," Brooks writes, discussing a paper by two researchers in which they summarized ... a voluminous literature on how these dimensions of personality change as we move from childhood to old age.

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#15

How Many Of You ‘70s Kids Can Feel This Picture?

How Many Of You ‘70s Kids Can Feel This Picture?

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Lost Panda
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Not a 70s kid, but yes... Just because it wasn't red did not mean it wasn't hot

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"Some of the changes are not necessarily either good or bad. For example, people tend to become less gregarious after their mid-50s; they become more assertive from adolescence through their mid-30s and stay at this higher level; their openness to experience rises into early adulthood, stabilizes, and falls after their mid-50s."

But other changes are unambiguously positive. "Agreeableness tends to rise throughout adulthood, probably as we see its benefits and establish more emotional equanimity," Brooks adds. "Neuroticism usually falls, at least until one’s late 60s. And conscientiousness rises continuously. If you follow the typical development, you can expect to be nicer and kinder, and less depressed and anxious, when you are old."

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#19

This Always Seemed To Appear On My Parents Coffee Table Between Thanksgiving & Christmas

This Always Seemed To Appear On My Parents Coffee Table Between Thanksgiving & Christmas

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#20

Who Remembers Changing A Channel By Turning The Knob

Who Remembers Changing A Channel By Turning The Knob

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Our self-esteem also tends to rise as we move through adulthood, all the way to age 60.

It usually stays at a high level until about 70, then slightly declines. This last downward section could be connected to the accumulating death toll of elderly friends and spouses, but even so, we can expect it to be better at age 80 than 30.

#21

I Loved These And Used To Read Them At The Dentist's Office. It Was Standard Waiting Room Stuff For Kids

I Loved These And Used To Read Them At The Dentist's Office. It Was Standard Waiting Room Stuff For Kids

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#22

If You Remember Seeing This Machine You're Pretty Old

If You Remember Seeing This Machine You're Pretty Old

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Midwest Mike
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

And getting them as a kid for your parents/grandparents and NO ONE CARED!!!

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#24

Who Dares To Admit That They Liked These Guys?

Who Dares To Admit That They Liked These Guys?

Ok_Neat5562 Report

So now that you know things are likely to get better as you age, we invite you to dive deeper into 'Heck I'm Old' and fire up our earlier publications on the subreddit 50 Painfully Funny Pics Of People Who Are Getting Old Faster Than They Expected and 40 Funny Posts Of People Grasping The Reality That They’re Old Now.

#25

Anyone Else Grow Up With These?

Anyone Else Grow Up With These?

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Savahax
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My mother had a rotan fetish for a while. The whole house was so damn noisy

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#26

I Bet Future Generations Won't Understand This Immensely Frustrating Experience At All

I Bet Future Generations Won't Understand This Immensely Frustrating Experience At All

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#28

Did Anyone Else Sleep In One Of These? I Think I Would Have To Be Helped Out Of It Today

Did Anyone Else Sleep In One Of These? I Think I Would Have To Be Helped Out Of It Today

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Mike F
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Had sex on one a handful of times. Odd experience, you just had to get started and the tide took care of the rest, lol.

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#30

Really I'm Old Enough ,who's With Me

Really I'm Old Enough ,who's With Me

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Flopsy
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I even remember how mind blown I was when I saw my first cd and realised you can just skip songs easily.

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#33

These Guys Were The Best -

These Guys Were The Best -

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Bill Swallow
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Ah, but how many of you remember 'Spy vs Spy vs Spy', with the lady Grey Spy playing Black and White off against each othet?

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#34

Dont Even Try To Tell Me You Dont Know These

Dont Even Try To Tell Me You Dont Know These

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JimSteve
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

*Gasps in recognition* *Pulls out those exact pots out of kitchen drawer*

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#35

Who Had One Of These?

Who Had One Of These?

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Mike F
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Only handy for parking meter change. It didn't matter if it took you 5 or so minutes to dig that damned quarter out.

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#37

I See Your "Tales From The Crypt," And Raise You Elvira

I See Your "Tales From The Crypt," And Raise You Elvira

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#38

I’ll See Your Paddle Ball And Raise You A Cheap Airplane

I’ll See Your Paddle Ball And Raise You A Cheap Airplane

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#39

Could This Movie Be Made Today?

Could This Movie Be Made Today?

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#40

Who Was Around When These Two Became Famous And Then Infamous?

Who Was Around When These Two Became Famous And Then Infamous?

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#41

This Is What 30 Year Olds Looked Like In The 80s

This Is What 30 Year Olds Looked Like In The 80s

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#43

If This Was Your First Live Action Joker, You're Old

If This Was Your First Live Action Joker, You're Old

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#45

If You Remember This Boat

If You Remember This Boat

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#46

Did You Ever Win Anything Other Than A Free Pop?

Did You Ever Win Anything Other Than A Free Pop?

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Carl Roberts
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Today: Please enter your email, phone number, Facebook, Twitter, social security number and name of first born child, and you might win a free Pepsi.

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#47

Are You Old Enough To Remember When Wendys Had Cool Old Fashion Tables?

Are You Old Enough To Remember When Wendys Had Cool Old Fashion Tables?

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Mike F
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Reading material so you didn't have to listen to MIL blathering on.

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#48

The Golden Age Of Education

The Golden Age Of Education

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#50

It Really Wasn't Difficult

It Really Wasn't Difficult

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Maggz Bennett
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Have young people really never heard of maps?? What do they do in geography classes, it can't all be oxbow lakes and types of rock.

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Note: this post originally had 112 images. It’s been shortened to the top 50 images based on user votes.