March 6, 2014 | Volume 3, Issue 21 |Lincoln, Nebraska
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SARCASM HURTS page 2
FOR THE KIDS page 3 FASHION page 6 OSCAR RACE HEATS UP page 13 FOR THE KIDS
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Editor's note
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SaRCaSM HURTS Sarcasm has become a social norm in our society. It is thought of as a medium in humor, Gamma Phi Beta but in actuality sarcasm Editor-in-Chief isn’t that funny. Sarcasm is cutting someone down. Jacy is a sophomore studying The English definition of journalism. You may contact her at jacy_2012@hotmail.com. sarcasm is a sharp, bitter, or cutting expression or remark; a bitter gibe or taunt. According to Wikipedia, the Greek word means to to tear flesh, bite the lip in rage, sneer.
JaCY LEWIS
Why then does our society believe that sarcasm is funny and that if people aren’t sarcastic then they don’t understand humor? Let’s refer to our old friend Oscar Wilde, “Sarcasm is the lowest form of wit.” Wilde understood what sarcasm was and why it isn’t a good form of communication to use. Physiologically sarcasm comes from insecurity, latent anger and social awkwardness. With sarcasm comes a wall that we don’t want people to climb over or break through. It a barrier put in place to keep us from showing true feelings. None of these are appealing attitudes for making friends or interacting with other people, yet we still indulge in them. Insecurity can plague everyone, but how we deal with it can help those around us. Sarcasm can be used as a scapegoat to avoid confrontation. Instead of outwardly expressing one’s desires one will try to gain their desires by playing a physiological game. The anger expressed through sarcasm isn’t as forward as other forms of anger, instead it is a passive aggressive type. Mostly when sarcasm is used in an angry way it is to assert
dominance. This is found a lot of times in relationships, which isn’t healthy. When someone doesn’t feel like they can understand a situation or relate to it they will revert to using sarcasm. People try to use sarcasm as a comic relief or in a playful tone, but relationships developed on sarcasm are often shallow and it is hard for people to get to any deeper level due to the hurt feelings they receive from sarcastic people. Sarcasm is also a poor way of communication. It complicates understanding and if the person doesn’t understand it the way you intended then it becomes really awkward or simply hurtful. Don’t let sarcasm interfere with the meaning of your words. Be up front with people and stop trying to jab them like some pent up circus lion. Sooner or later they will lash out and it won’t be pretty. Sarcasm is a habit that can be stopped like any other habit. The main reason for this habit is seeing the initial hurt you cause a person by being sarcastic. An example is, I feel better when I can make you feel bad. Sometimes the habit is deeply rooted in someone’s speaking style. If this happens then there must be communication. If sarcasm hurts you then let those around you know. People usually don’t consciously understand when sarcasm hurts someone. Sarcasm slips out and causing damage without them really understanding what they did. An easy way to stop sarcasm is to evaluate the words you use everyday. Think of how important each word and phrase is and how meaningful they are in communication. This should help cut back on sarcastic outbreaks. Also tell somebody about your diversion to sarcasm. Accountability helps immensely when you stray from your goal. Another recommendation would be to stop your intake of sarcasm. The less you listen to it the less you will use it. Don’t let words create a divide between the people around you.
THE ODYSSEY AT NEBRASKA EXECUTIVE TEAM editor-in-Chief Jacy Lewis
photographers Katie Miller
Gamma Phi Beta
Gamma Phi Beta
Social Media Director Christian Folsom
Caroline amsler
Delta Tou Delta
Contributing editor Brett Bergstrom Beta Theta Pi
Gamma Phi Beta
Kelly Kuwitzky Phi Mu
Sean Carney Phi Kappa Theta
OLYMPIA MEDIA GROUP 888.272.2595 | OlympiaMediagroup.com Managing editor, Cambria Roland graphic Designer, Grant Hohulin
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Scene on campus
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FOR THE KIDS
Clearly, Dance Marathon is a place where students walk away more inspired
The University of Nebraska-Lincoln hosted it’s annul Dance Marathon fundraiser on Saturday, February 22nd.
For
leading
up
months to
the
event, many of us were
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JOSLYN MAENNER Gamma Phi Beta
Joslyn is a junior studying hospitality, restaurant and tourism management. You may contact her at joslyn.maenner@hotmail.com.
constantly reminded of
than they arrived. Jordan Brooks, a sophomore in Gamma Phi Beta said, “People should be involved because it’s super fun and you actually get to meet and hang out the people that your donations will help.” Penn State, a fellow Big Ten school, has been hosting a Dance Marathon since 1977 and this year they raised $13.3 million for the Four Diamonds Fund. The Dance Marathon at the Nebraska is relatively young but imagine the impact it can have if it continues to grow.
it’s presence. Our Facebook walls saw posts regarding donations and fundraising nights
As Greeks we constantly are going out of our way to serve our chapters and those
at local restaurants. Our Twitter feeds saw a sprinkling of the hashtag “FTK”, (which
around us. How often do we get the chance to let those we serve inspire us in return?
stands for “For the Kids” by the way.)
Anyone who is even a bit interested in this event should make a plan to participate next
We listened to weekly house announcements, saw banners being painted and noticed members of our chapters excitedly discussing the upcoming event. But what was all of this buzz about? What makes Dance Marathon different that many of the other incredible causes on campus? Freshman Jaci John helped explain exactly what Dance Marathon is and what they do. She said, [Dance Marathon is] “a campus wide event to benefit The Rainbow House and Children’s Hospital in Omaha. There’s dancing, food, and lots of interacting with the wonderful miracle children! And we surpassed our goal, raising $101,00.18!” After speaking with many members of the Greek community and listening to them talk with beaming smiles on their faces, I’ve come to understand that what really sets Dance Marathon apart from the rest is the colossal amount of inspiration that Greeks get from the very kids that they fundraise for. When I asked the question, What was the most inspiring moment of the day, the overwhelming response was the talent show that some of the kids participated in. Jake Strawhecker, a senior in Farm House, who has participated in Dance Marathon all four years said, “The most inspiring moment was the Miracle Children Talent Show. There were four or five performers. One told jokes, one sang, one did a ribbon dance to “Let It Go” from Frozen. It was really cool to see that they had the confidence to do that and to see hundreds of college kids cheering them on.” Courtney Jarosz, a junior in Gamma Phi Beta, was also very moved by the talent show. “One of the most inspiring memories was during the kids talent show at dance marathon where the children got up on stage in front of over 500 people to sing, dance, hula hoop or tell jokes, Jarosz said. “It takes a lot of courage to get up in front of so many people and showcase their skills! After everything they have been through they are still smiling and having a great time.” Hannah Walgren, a freshman in Gamma Phi Beta, agreed with her sister, “Those kids are an inspiration for me.”
year. You never know what you could gain when you give.
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Lookbook fashion
FASHION
Cara Delevingne. The ultimate “It girl.” Everyone in fashion is talking about her and honestly, I am completely obsessed with her as well. Alpha Omicron Pi Not many 22 year olds are in every fashion week and just Abbey is a sophomore studying blowing up every runway fashion communications. with her incredible beauty and humor. I am normally You may contact her at not the girl to follow what awalker012@yahoo.com. is the hottest model on the runway or what are the top models of the year but she is one to take notice, if you haven’t seen in every ad or runway show already. This girl is a beanie-wearing darling that graces all the tabloids by day and parties with Rihanna and Prince Harry at night. The world’s in love with her, I wish I was her best friend and I’ll give you three solid reasons why you should be a Delevingner as well.
aBBeY WALKER
1. Her Social Media. Follow this girl now, you won’t regret it. Unlike most models Instagrams and Twitter feeds, she is so real and doesn’t care what other people think of her. The take-it-or-leave-it attitude appeals to followers so much because of the hilarious faces that she’ll post behind the scenes of the most notorious fashion shows. Some of her videos include joking around with a parrot on a Mulberry photo shoot, having fun with her family at Christmas time, making some of the Victoria Secret angels twerk and messing around with Karl Lagerfeld. She was even the first model of all time to instagram herself walking down the runway. 2. Style. Of course all of her Delevingners follow every little thing that Cara wears and models do have the best taste. Since they wear the best on the runway and during photo shoots, it’s more interesting to see what they wear when they get to pick it out. Cara’s style is totally rock and roll/ British angst. Her closet is full of beanies, leather and military jackets, chic sunglasses and magnificent boots and heels. Every outfit looks like she just threw it on in the morning but it always comes together with a cool, chic touch of quirkiness. 3. EYEBROWS. This girl has got eyebrows that make you look twice. In the past, the main trend was to pluck, pluck and pluck until you have the smallest line of hair but this girl has brought about the recent trend of the full brow. It makes for a stronger look and more modern take on brow lines and makeup. I personally think that a fuller brow looks better and less “fake” because over-plucking is a problem no girl wants to have. Try the fuller brow look, it’s all over the runways. Cara Delevingne is a force to be reckoned with and looks like this girl is not going to stop. She is the biggest fashion icon in the world right now but it seems like she has her eye on bigger dreams then just walking in Chanel, Burberry, YSL, Valentino, Victoria’s Secret, and many more. She has told multiple sources that she would really like to make it in music and in Hollywood. This girl is going places and is taking the world by storm.
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COLLEGE CHEFS POISED FOR BREAKOUT
Upper Crust Food Service, College Chefs allows its chefs to create their own menus and
Nothing is as important to a college student as food. The presence - or lack
thereof - of great eating options can often be the definitive answer on the
BReTT BERGSTROM
even promotes their work via various social media outlets.
Brett is a sophomore studying journalism / English. You may contact him at bergie003@gmail.com.
individuals working within our company.”
Beta Theta Pi
“We truly are a company of chefs, for chefs,” said Bost. “We have an amazing group of
The savviness displayed by paying genuine attention to employee satisfaction and utilizing social media to branch out to their target demographic is, perhaps, an indication
merit of an endeavor. Want
of the quality of their service. This same polish applies to their website; not only is it
to live in the dorms? Say hello to dining halls replete with bars of bland school-quality
designed with clear accessibility and a pleasing design and color scheme, but they have
food and cranky workers. Want to live off-campus? Say hello to lots of Ramen and a
extensive information regarding founders, employees, potential menu combinations, and
severely shrinking waistline. What about Greek houses? Traditionally, you’d be paired
more. There’s even a blog, should curious readers or foodies want more reading to do!
off with a cook who is tied to strict budgeting, tying you to food of the processed, canned, or frozen variety. College Chefs is out to change all that. “The beautiful thing is,” said Regional Supervisor Jared Bost, “the company is based on the concept of allowing chefs to do what they do best. Create.”
On top of fulfilling the desire for normal menus and diets, College Chefs can also handle special dietary restrictions, such as nut or gluten allergies, and they cover special events catering and even donate to philanthropic causes. It is no secret that diet is one of the most important factors for the success of a college-age student. It is also no secret that many of the eating arrangements within the Greek system
College Chefs hires trained professionals who, according to Bost, may not exactly be
simply aren’t as appetizing as they should be. But the innovative approach that College
accustomed to the type of creative freedom and autonomy that College Chefs offers them.
Chefs takes with fraternity and sorority dining looks like it will be taking campuses by
Unlike some of the more rigid and tenured companies serving the Greek houses, such as
storm in no time, at all.
8 ANIMAL CRUELTY: WHERE DO WE DRAW THE LINE? 500 words on
Animal cruelty is defined as a crime of inflicting physical pain, Phi Mu suffering or death on an animal, usually a tame Ta y l o r i s a f r e s h m a n studying advertising & one, beyond necessity for PR. You may contact her at normal discipline. The Taylor_Simon001@aol.com. most common forms of animal cruelty are neglect, hoarding, and milling and the general public often overlooks them.
TaYLOR SIMON
Neglect: Animal neglect is a situation where the animal’s caretaker or owner fails to provide food, water, shelter, or veterinary care sufficient for survival. This treatment can be deliberate or unintentional, but most of the time is deliberate. Extended periods of neglect can lead to compromised health and/or death of the animal. The animal suffers from poor nourishment, untreated illness or wounds, and harsh weather conditions. In fact, animal control officers often find household pets frozen to the ground due to the extreme cold just several feet away from their homes where their caretakers live. 47 states currently have felony provisions for animal cruelty (those without are Idaho, North Dakota, and South Dakota). Hoarding: Animal hoarding is when a person takes in far too many animals than can be cared for and becomes virtually blind to the animals suffering. Hoarders are often in denial that they can’t provide people care for their animals, and believe they are rescuing the animals they have when they’re actually harming them. Officers investigating hoarding cases often find animals and their caretakers living in disgusting conditions with feces and urine covering floors, counters, and furniture and in serious cases decaying dead animals are found among the living. Hoarders typically suffer from psychological and neurological disabilities such as dementia, OCD, PTSD, and ADD. Puppy Mills: A puppy mill is a commercial dog breeding facility that is operated with an emphasis on making a profit above the animal’s welfare. There are an estimated 4,000 mills in the U.S. that produce more than half a million puppies per year. Most of the time mills are overcrowded and unsanitary without proper veterinary care, food, water, or socialization necessary for the puppies. Dogs often stacked in cages with wire floors to reduce waste clean up, and this is a completely legal practice. Sometimes after a female dog is too old to breed, she is killed because she is seen as “worthless” when it comes to making a profit. Red flags to look out for are if sold at less than 6 weeks old, the breeder is unwilling to show puppy’s parents, breeder doesn’t ask many
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questions to evaluate potential owners, or if the puppy is sold online. The Federal Animal Welfare Act requires breeders who have more than 3 breeding dogs and sell puppies to be inspected and licensed by the USDA, but many mills get away with the poor treatment of the animals because the standards they have to meet by law are so low. Animal cruelty is a very real issue that needs our attention. Our community needs to advocate for the cause before it gets any worse. If you can’t adopt animals in need and give them a loving home, there are many other ways to help including volunteering and raising awareness. In Lincoln, the Capital Humane Society receives thousands of homeless animals each year. Many of those animals play with, sleep on or are groomed with donated items. They greatly appreciate donations in the form of money or of the following items: Non-clumping cat litter Exam gloves-all sizes High efficiency laundry detergent Purina dog/puppy/cat & kitten food Purina Small Bites Bleach Large Trash Bags Paper Towels Ziploc sandwich bags Collars & leashes-especially for large dogs Timothy hay for small animals Dog treats Hand Sanitizer Locations:
2320 Park Blvd.
6500 S. 70th Street
Lincoln, NE 68502
Lincoln, NE 68516
(402)-441-4488
(402)-441-4488
Donations: https://secure.qgiv.com/for/chsdonate Volunteer information: http://www.capitalhumanesociety.org/programs/ Adoption information: http://www.capitalhumanesociety.org/pets/adopt-a-pet/
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Lookbook fashion
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Sports local
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NEBRASKA BASKETBALL HAS COME A LONG WAY, MILES IN FACT For as long as I or any other current Nebraska student can remember, Nebraska basketball has been less than stellar. The biggest sport at
CHRISTIaN FOLSOM Delta Tau Delta
Christian is a sophomore studying broadcasting. You may contact him at christianfolsom@gmail.com.
Nebraska is obviously football as it draws literally millions of dollars a year all by itself. However, nationally men’s basketball
Sports local
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makes a lot of money as well. Nebraska simply has not been able to put a product on
women’s basketball arena boasts a beautiful entrance and a capacity of over 14,900
the floor worth paying for—until now.
people for a basketball game. With the recent successes in basketball, Pinnacle Bank sold out for the entire first year of play giving the Huskers an outstanding home
The NCAA tournament or “March Madness” makes millions of dollar every year
court advantage.
through ticket sales and television deals. The teams that participate in the tournament make a portion of the money as well. With the recent move to the B1G 10, a much stronger basketball conference and arguably the top conference in college hoops over
The hire of Tim Miles has widely been considered the “perfect hire” for Nebraska and their move to the B1G Ten. He has been an outstanding coach in his career:
the last three years, Nebraska needed to improve its basketball program. The Huskers started by firing former coach Doc Sadler and hiring the young Tim Miles, former Colorado State hoops coach. During Tim Miles’ reign as the coach in the last few years, the University of Nebraska has built Pinnacle Bank Arena. The new men’s and
With steady improvements in every job he has had, even leading the Colorado State rams to the NCAA tournament, Tim Miles looks to be the right guy. No matter what you think of Nebraska hoops, it’s on the rise.
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OSCAR RACE HEATS UP
While the Winter Olympics in Sochi have wrapped, the race for the gold is far from over. This year ’s 86th Annual Chi Omega Academy Awards bring together seasoned veterans Danielle is a sophomore studying broadcasting / journalism. as well as bright-eyed new You may contact her at comers. As always the award dani.wilkerson@aol.com is anyone’s for the taking as we’ve seen in previous years, but there’s no denying there are clear frontrunners. Best Picture Nominees: “American Hustle,” “Captain Phillips,” “Dallas Buyer’s Club.” “Gravity,” “Her,” “Nebraska,” “Philomena,” “12 Years a Salve,” “The Wolf of Wall Street,” And the Oscar goes to: “12 Year’s a Salve.” This year was a hard one to pinpoint best picture with contenders like “Gravity” and “American Hustle” in the mix; it may seem unfair to name a definite winner before the academy does, but “12 Years a Slave” deserves all the credit it has been receiving. Though, with a race this tight we may see a best picture and director split. Best Director Nominees: Alfonso Cuaron, “Gravity”; Steve McQueen, “12 Years a Slave”; Alexander Payne, “Nebraska”; David O. Russell, “American Hustle”; Martin Scorsese, “The Wolf of Wall Street” And the Oscar goes to: Alfonso Cuaron. It would be one of the night’s biggest upsets if Cuaron didn’t leave with this award. This film is his masterpiece and if that wasn’t enough, he’s already won the Director Guild for a feature film. The academy should follow suit. Best Actor Nominees: Christina Bale, “American Hustle”; Bruce Dern, “Nebraska”; Leonardo DiCaprio,
DaNIeLLe WILKERSON
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“The Wolf of Wall Street”; Chiwetal Ejiofor, “12 Years a Slave,” Matthew McConaughey, “Dallas Buyer’s Club” And the Oscar goes to: Leonardo DiCaprio. While some see McConaughey as the clear winner, this may be DiCaprio’s year for an upset. After his win at the Golden Globes, many have taken notice. He’s been snubbed many times before, it seems outrageous the academy would deny him yet again, especially with a performance as good as his in “The Wolf of Wall Street.” Best Actress Nominees: Amy Adams, “American Hustle”; Cate Blanchett, “Blue Jasmine,” Sandra Bullock, “Gravity”; Judi Dench, “Philomena”; Meryl Streep, “August: Osage County” And the Oscar goes to: Cate Blanchett. She’s had a clean sweep leading up to the Oscars, it only seems logical that she’ll take this one as well. Best Supporting Actor Nominees: Barkhad Abdi, “Captain Phillips”; Bradley Cooper, “American Hustle”; Michael Fassbender, “12 Years a Slave”; Jonah Hill, “The Wolf of Wall Street”; Jared Leto, “Dallas Buyers Club” And the Oscar goes to: Jared Leto. He is in the same position as Blanchett, winning all the awards in this category expect the BAFTA only because he wasn’t nominated. Leto’s flawless perform in “Dallas Buyer’s Club” will make his first trip to the Oscar’s a successful one. Best Supporting Actress Nominees: Sally Hawkins, “Blue Jasmine”; Jennifer Lawrence, “American Hustle”; Lupita Nyong’o, “12 Years a Slave”; Julia Roberts, “August: Osage County”; June Squibb, “Nebraska” And the Oscar goes to: Lupita Nyong’o. She’s been the clear breakout star during this award season, not only for her work, but Nyong’o has nailed everything from her speeches to her dresses. Her performance is well deserving of the award, but Jennifer Lawrence may be the one to snatch it from her. This will be one of the toughest races of the night. Tune in March 2 on ABC at 7 pm with host Ellen Degeneres to watch all the action go down.
ONE STEP SHORT OF EXTRAORDINARY – ENTRY 1 My number one fear is
being ordinary. Why? I couldn’t tell you. But lately I’ve had a fear of being an ordinary human being, someone
customs, and do this as many times as I can. Maybe I’ll volunteer with a non-profit
BaILeY WILLIAMS Chi Omega
Bailey is a freshman studying fashion design with communications. Yo u m a y c o n t a c t h e r a t baileyjowilliams@gmail.com.
organization and help and hug the people in need. And when I run out of money from my world exploration I want to live in a flat with my best friends and struggle along month by month on the pay of barista. Because who doesn’t want to make over-priced coffee drinks for a living? In the meantime, when I’m not roasting & brewing dark roast coffee, I’ll be singing. Playing in my coffee shop, and other shops around the city; me,
who lives and dies and
my piano, and I. I’ll hold onto the dream of being a singer and will fight society’s pull to
does ordinary and expected
pursue a more realistic goal. Like an office job. With a desk. And a cubicle. Please…no.
things. Someone who does what the world considers safe and practical. The girl who
But at the same time, I can feel my practicality fighting with my heart. Telling me to
goes to college, majors in something practical that promises job security, has an ordinary
take the safe road, to have a plan and know where I’m going to be in five years. It’s an
job, and settles down with her nice, ordinary family. Now don’t get me wrong, for some
everyday battle. Dreams versus Security. So everyday I have to remind myself that it’s
people that scenario is perfect. And if that is your dream, you go for it. But for me, that
okay. It’s okay to not know where I’m going to be in five years, it’s okay to not want to
scenario causes nothing but a rush of anxiety.
rush towards marriage and a family, and it’s okay to be a little bit selfish with your youth.
I crave and desire to see the world; to pop the ordinary bubble and hop in a car with
Why? Because fabulous things happen to those who take risks. There is a beauty in being
a few good friends and drive from one coast to the other, stopping at hole-in-the-wall
a little bit eccentric, a little bit on the whimsical side. So everyday, I take another small step
café’s in towns of 300 people. I dream of buying a plane ticket and flying to a different
towards my goals and dreams. Everyday I take a few more steps toward extraordinary.
continent; simply because I can. I want to immerse myself in another culture, learn their
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@_mattloaf
@kwatermeier2013
@seetimesthree
Putting my alarm inside a Krispy Kreme donut as a reward for this 4 am wake up crap.
Staying up like we don’t have class #TURNIP @jonnysun
nothing like a secret admirer sending flowers to make me feel like I’m constantly being watched.
@5ft7Blonde
help i got reverse king midas powers
@emilieoconnor2
My soul is in the process of curling up into a ball. That’s how cold I am.
*turns gold bar into soap bar. turns goldfish into reguler fish. touchs wedding band: its a onion ring*
@gabby__grasso
@_BallPointJEN
A guy just made a quite train sound to get me to move instead of saying excuse me. Happy Monday. #choochoo
Okay maybe just one more episode of One Tree Hill
Homework is my favorite when it doesn’t exist
@BraveSirMartin
@_Ms_Moneypenny_
Lol at that one time I ran the Indianapolis Mini Marathon, was I on drugs?
Start watching Game of Thrones they said...
@jennafarrester
It’ll be fun they said...
I reserve the right to delete and re-write my own crappy tweets.
...22 straight hours on the couch later...
@NervousJr
I am hyperventilating at Harry Potter World. So excited! Move out of my way muggles!
@nalgotaz
I’m dipping my donuts in non fat milk, so yes, I did go to the gym today.
@BraveSirMartin
“Coffee addict” *orders vanilla bean frappuccino from Starbucks*
@jaci_janemarie
“Against all odds, and without the help of AOL instant messenger....he got a girlfriend.”
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