tcu2003
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Post by tcu2003 on Feb 25, 2022 22:54:23 GMT -5
When I have to meet with key clients esp their senior management, I duck into the bathroom early and stand in superwoman pose (hands on hips, tall back, powerful stance). A PR speaker talked about that years ago and how standing in that pose, breathing deeply, and walking thru the presentation smashing it help build confidence. Works like a charm for me. Def feels stilly and makes me laugh a bit also which loosens me up. [/div][/quote] Yes! Amy Cuddy and the TED talk on power pose! I also thought her book Presence: Bringing Your Boldest Self to Your Biggest Challenges was a good read. www.goodreads.com/book/show/25066556
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tcu2003
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Post by tcu2003 on Feb 23, 2022 12:31:08 GMT -5
Masks are optional for preschool, but the older two still have the mandate. Tay came home with COVID and the flu together. I took care of him, we quarantined to my room, so guess who has COVID now? I really hope no one else gets it. I had a week of weird, vivid dreams and blisters on my tongue. Then on Sunday night my throat started hurting and the fever set in, and it's awful. I am quarantined to the basement so hopefully no one else gets it, but I'm scared it may be too late. Selfishly though, the basement is set up like its own apartment and I'm loving it down here, at least when I'm well enough to be awake [img src="https://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff155/JiminiChristmas/ymamsmiles/wink.png" alt=" ![]() " src="//storage2.proboards.com/forum/images/smiley/wink.png" class="smile"] and no kids in the bed means I'm sleeping well too. I keep trying to keep up with the boards, but this app is wonky sometimes. Anyone else have that issue? Posts out of order and I have to exit and come back in to try to get it sorted out? Is there another trick to try, or do I have to use the paid app version? Hope you're feeling better soon! I mostly use the app to access the boards, and it's very glitchy and wonky. *Usually* if I refresh (click the 3 dots in the upper right hand corner and click refresh) it will fix itself, or sometimes open the web view from there and then close it and be back in the app, that fixes it. But yeah, it's wonky. It also doesn't always show new post notifications on the threads like this one that I am "subscribed" to.
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tcu2003
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Post by tcu2003 on Feb 23, 2022 8:45:59 GMT -5
Feeling conflicted on masks. Our school district just changed to masks optional for K-8 (with a provision that if individual schools have a greater than 7% absenteeism rate, the school has to mask again for 2 weeks). I (incorrectly) assumed most kids would be mask-free yesterday (first day with the new policy), so sent both kids to school not wearing masks (both had masks in their backpacks if needed or wanted). C has 1 other kid in his 4th grade class not wearing a masks, and teacher didn’t wear one when she was at the board or desk, but did when she was close to students. M has 4 other kids in her K class and 1 of her 2 teachers not wearing masks.
C had Covid in January, M never got it. Both are fully vaxxed. At this point, I’m cautiously okay with no masks for them, but also don’t mind them. I absolutely respect how other parents feel, and would be fine for them to wear masks in class still.
Blergh. I absolutely recognize their isn’t really a right or wrong answer here.
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tcu2003
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Post by tcu2003 on Feb 19, 2022 21:42:42 GMT -5
We went to cheer on DS’ basketball team today. Their regular rec season ended last week and this weekend the post-season tournament started. His team had one game today, one next weekend, and then probably another next weekend, depending on how the first two games went. DS is out with his broken arm, another teammate is out with a broken toe and an injured knee (he got injured the week before DS), and this week a 3rd kid is now out with a fractured elbow. Their team only has 9 boys, and 2 boys were out of town today so they were down to 4 (minimum they can play with and they’d be playing a team of 5). Lucky for them one of their classmates who plays on another team made up of kids from their school happened to be at the same school to watch his big brother play, so he filled in and they were able to play with 5. And they won!! It was such a mail biter and so fun to watch! And all 3 injured boys were cheering them on from the team bench, so that was fun.
Other than that, mostly boring weekend. DS ditched the plaster cast on Wednesday and got the lighter waterproof cast, which was awesome. And then we got our biggest snowfall so far this winter on Thursday, so I’m doing my best not to be overprotective and still let C have fun outside in the snow. But I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t paranoid he’s going to fall and further injure his arm.
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tcu2003
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Post by tcu2003 on Feb 8, 2022 22:16:55 GMT -5
Thanks, everyone! He went back to school today, and in a weird coincidence, the Valentine’s class parties were today, and I was already signed up to volunteer at his, so I got to see him earlier than I normally would. His teacher said a couple of his classmates in his pod (they sit with 4 desks together, 2 kids on each side facing each other) had been giving him extra help today, which was awesome to hear. And he’s gotten ibuprofen from the nurse right at the 6 hour mark from when we’d given it at home, so glad he was still able to stay on top of meds.
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tcu2003
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Post by tcu2003 on Feb 8, 2022 0:06:27 GMT -5
This is a novel, so we’ll start with the short version: C managed to break 2 bones in his arm yesterday, which were thankfully able to be put back in place without surgery. And our village is awesome! Long version: We can no longer say that neither kid has had broken a bone (two), been to the ER (two) or hitched a ride in the back of an ambulance. One slip in a backyard ball game and down went C. Thanks to our awesome neighbors for keeping M, Robert and I both took C to the closest ER (complete with crying/screaming child being a backseat driver about how slow he thought Dad was driving). We spent less than 5 minutes at the registration desk before they quickly escorted the (loud) patient to a room, took a look, got a doctor in to see him, put it an IV and gave the kid some pain meds. Shortly after that the loud child became a much quieter child. Mad props to the ER doc working the evening shift at this ER because she was fantastic with C and us. X-rays confirmed both the ulna and radius were broken - she tried a reduction to get them back into place, but could only get one of them back. She then sent him to the children’s hospital, so he got a snazzy ride in the back of an ambulance as he was too groggy from the meds she used before trying the reduction to ride safely in the car. I got to tag along in the front seat - as the EMT put it, it’s not a Cadillac but it safely got my big kid where he needed to go. 4 generalist ER docs, at least that many nurses, and 2 ortho docs later, and the second bone was back in place through reduction and C has a heavy plaster cast up and over his elbow. We were discharged sometime after 1am, and headed home with a medicine regimen, strict orders about not getting the cast wet and to elevate the arm, and in need of sleep. C was doing much better this morning, and clearly tired of tv by the end of the day. So this should be a fun 4-6 weeks with no sports of any kind, including no backyard ball games with friends. So thankful for our local village - neighbors, sister, MIL and friends who all stepped in and helped with M, came and visited C today, brought us a sling, and me caffeine. All smiles this morning: ![](https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20220208/f0e70c0f655e679d639c659daf9b0753.jpg) Zonked out at the second ER after they got the second bone back in place and a cast on the arm. ![](https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20220208/22c66fe0b72959b99aea4e43bbb104d8.jpg)
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tcu2003
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Post by tcu2003 on Feb 4, 2022 22:05:02 GMT -5
Thanks, mililizard. Neither kiddo has allergies of any sort before this - I had to send DH to the pharmacy to get Benadryl after the first incident. Definitely a lesson learned. I’ll try to keep her away from cats and dogs for now, and then ask the pediatrician the next time we see her.
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tcu2003
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Post by tcu2003 on Feb 4, 2022 14:27:57 GMT -5
Ya, from what I have read the guy has way more health problems than just needing a transplant. As mentioned above, he has diabetes and both his legs have been amputated. I also read somewhere that he has had more than one heart attack, and has already had covid. He's only 38. He's also on dialysis 3 times a week. Maybe there's a nice insurance payout for his family if he dies. It might be easier for his family for him to pass, than to keep having to deal with all the medical issues that are going to plague him for the rest of his life. That is sad! I can't nail down the reasons why you are asserting that this guy is a double-amputee, has had a heart attack and Covid, and is on dialysis. But if that is true, I can definitely start thinking of this as less of a case of choosing a hill to die on and more of a case of choosing to die. We've all heard of suicide by cop. This might be something similar.
I don't know if there is any type of insurance payout to consider. I don't think this guy has had employer-funded life insurance for a long time or been in any position to keep paying premiums on his own or have his spouse maintain life insurance coverage for him. It is far moe likely that he is choosing to die in order to relieve his family from the burden of caring for him and the terrifying restrictions that come with being married to someone on permanent disability.
If he dies, his children will qualify for survivor benefits and the combination of those benefits and the relief from income-sapping and income-limiting restrictions may be life-changing for his spouse and children.
This is definitely sad., but probably not as much about ignorance as we previously thought.
This guy might be just as dumb as the character in the Arthur Miller play, The Crucible demanding "more weight". He may not be sophisticated, but he knows the law and what he is up against and makes his choice.
The article linked above lists the health problems the guy has: "Carswell told The Post he has had long history of health problems. After he was diagnosed with Type II diabetes, Carswell said he developed infections and other complications in his legs, both of which had to be amputated. He has had covid twice, he said — once in November 2020 and again this past September, which landed him in the hospital for a short time."www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2022/01/31/chad-carswell-kidney-coronavirus-vaccine/
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tcu2003
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Post by tcu2003 on Feb 4, 2022 14:20:03 GMT -5
Anyone have a kiddo with a pet allergy? We were at a friend’s house in mid December, and M’s eyes got red/puffy and watery. They have a cat, and while she never saw the cat or touched the cat, that was my best guess. We had lunch there, but it was all food she’s had before. We’ve been to the house before, but they live on the other side of the metro from us, so we’re only there 2-3 times/year and then tend to meet at parks and other locations the other times we have play dates. This had never happened to her before.
I took the kids to my sister’s today for a play date with cousins (teacher in service so no school for any of the kids), and she has a dog. The dog was at the groomers but my sister sent a text of M with red eye/little bumps/watery. She was laying in oldest niece’s room, and I know the dog often sleeps there and hangs out as niece loves pets, so the dog is my best guess. But then M went with me to see a friend earlier this week who has a dog, and didn’t have any issues in the couple of hours we were there. So who knows. Trying to figure out if I try to get her an allergy test? Or wait and see? This is new territory for me.
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tcu2003
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Post by tcu2003 on Feb 4, 2022 14:14:09 GMT -5
Thanks! I’ll take a look at Fidelity as well.
Both mine and DH’s 401k accounts are at Prudential, so we currently have nothing at Fidelity.
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tcu2003
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Post by tcu2003 on Feb 4, 2022 11:59:45 GMT -5
Where does everyone keep their taxable accounts? I have an e-trade account with my meager $5k in it that I started like 19 years ago and haven't touched in 18 years, and our Roth IRAs are both in Vanguard. Should I just go with Vanguard? Is there a better option? I have vanguard and tdameritrade. prefer tdameritrade. more info, easier use Might have to look at tdameritrade - I definitely don't find vanguard's website the most user friendly. It seems to always take me a few minutes of poking around to try to figure out how to move funds around from my regular IRA to the backdoor Roth rollover.
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tcu2003
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Post by tcu2003 on Feb 4, 2022 9:55:57 GMT -5
Where does everyone keep their taxable accounts? I have an e-trade account with my meager $5k in it that I started like 19 years ago and haven't touched in 18 years, and our Roth IRAs are both in Vanguard. Should I just go with Vanguard? Is there a better option?
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tcu2003
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Post by tcu2003 on Feb 3, 2022 23:58:40 GMT -5
Updated our NW tonight on the 31st, but am just now posting.
Here is my January 2022 update:
ASSETS: Checking/Savings: $260,742 House: $512,700 Retirement: $1,802,033 (down 10% - blergh) Brokerage: $5,594 529s: $80,136
DEBTS: $0
Total NW: $2,661,205
As usual, the list above excludes our cars, which are worth around $30k combined, but I leave them out because we're unlikely to sell, and need them to get to/from work, kids schools, etc. in the land of suburbia.
Looking back at my December comments, I did fund the backdoor Roth IRAs for DH and me in January (which makes the decreased retirement accounts all the more depressing). I also funded half of what I will likely fund for the kids 529 accounts this month to use up some of our cash. I'll probably do the other half this month (we typically add up to what our state allows us to deduct for each kid state taxes).
DH is almost done with purchases for the basement remodel, so I need to look at some taxable investments in the next two months and make that happen.
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tcu2003
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Post by tcu2003 on Feb 3, 2022 23:52:57 GMT -5
How do you all keep track of your net worth? Spreadsheets or something else? I have an Excel spreadsheet with many, MANY tabs for personal finance stuff. Everything from budget to retirement projecting to college expenses is all in that workbook. There is one tab for net worth. But, I also enter everything in here. networthshare.com/It was introduced here many years ago, so there's quite a few YM folks on there still I think. Similar for me. I have a spreadsheet (but only one tab - it's basic) where I add a column for each month, and track all my accounts there. I then update networthshare every month - love the graph function there!
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tcu2003
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Post by tcu2003 on Jan 30, 2022 1:16:17 GMT -5
I just finished I Want to Thank You: How a Year of Gratitude Can Bring Joy and Meaning in a Disconnected World by Gina Hamadey. This one started a little slow, and then grew on me. I love a handwritten note - I love to receive them, but even more, I love to send one (and don’t do it often enough). The closest I’ve come to a year of thank you notes is 40 notes to 40 women who positively impacted my life for my 40th birthday, and this book brought back some of those wonderful feelings that project gave me. It also gave me inspiration and ideas to bring more gratitude into my life, connect with people I haven’t connected with in far too long, and to remember to slow down and savor the moments.
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Post by tcu2003 on Jan 30, 2022 1:05:22 GMT -5
A coworker had a heart transplant last October (he’s 37, and they discovered he had a genetic heart issue in fall 2020, and got a transplant about a year later). He just came back to work a couple of weeks ago, and was telling me that he’s in some FB groups for transplant recipients, and he’s floored by some of the people there who have refused the vaccine. Like…you trust your doctors to replace organs in your body, but not on their vaccine advice?!! Makes no sense. And yep, he had to have the Covid vaccine to be on the transplant list.
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Post by tcu2003 on Jan 30, 2022 0:59:01 GMT -5
Managed to get rid of a few more things yesterday and today through our Buy Nothing group and FB marketplace. Still working on my closet and not sure I’ll get my side completely decluttered by the end of the month, but it looks significantly better, so there’s that.
Still working with the kids to go through some toys / art supplies/ other misc stuff and cull what we can. That’s a never ending thing, it seems.
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tcu2003
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Post by tcu2003 on Jan 26, 2022 20:03:38 GMT -5
Blergh to last week for me. DS(9) ended up with Covid, so we were all home all week and I got way less steps than normal. It was also cold here and I was unmotivated to get outside. So we reset on Monday. And luckily no one else got it (so far, at least).
Got a ton of steps in on Monday and a 2-mile walk yesterday. Not as many today, but I’ve already improved since last week.
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tcu2003
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Post by tcu2003 on Jan 26, 2022 19:53:59 GMT -5
My beloved DH has passed away, and I am very busy with papers, the kid, his company, his stuff, the home repairs, and an upcoming downsizing. I'll also need a new job within the coming months. Until now, a lot has been donated or trashed. And there's more to come.... My sympathies, Lund. Thinking about you.
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tcu2003
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Post by tcu2003 on Jan 26, 2022 19:48:55 GMT -5
Congrats to DD1, taz!!! That’s awesome!
And congrats to Gwen, drama!! So awesome about the play!!
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Post by tcu2003 on Jan 25, 2022 22:45:59 GMT -5
I am so sorry about having to reschedule surgery, nikiz628. Covid hit my house a week and a half ago as well, via DS. It was almost certainly from school as his best friend, who is in his class, and before/after care program, and they’re at the same assigned lunch table, also has it. Somehow DS, DH and I did not get it, though we did keep DD home from school last Th/F just to be safe (they were already out M/T/W, and she’s in kindergarten, so missing two days won’t kill her).
Covid also killed my getting anything done as DH and I were trying to survive WFH with the kids and getting DS to do the schoolwork his teacher emailed and everything else. I did get a bag of clothes I’d decluttered from my closet taken to one of those recycle clothing bins over the weekend, and some kids clothes given away on our local buy nothing group (yay for contactless porch pickup).
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Post by tcu2003 on Jan 24, 2022 23:33:05 GMT -5
This was posted in a FB group I'm in. As a doctoral student I empathize with how hard it is to find such specific people to fit in your study. If you know of anyone who might participate, please feel free to send this to them. ![](https://scontent-sea1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.30808-6/272442860_10109152418152673_2554420742791480496_n.jpg?_nc_cat=111&ccb=1-5&_nc_sid=825194&_nc_ohc=1Aba6CYks8kAX_7r1OU&_nc_ht=scontent-sea1-1.xx&oh=00_AT-xdsF-Inb6V-8iFWAGDu8bpZEShHR75tzONlxXAku5BQ&oe=61F3CEB0) Is she looking for people who have done this within the last year or some other timeframe?
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tcu2003
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Post by tcu2003 on Jan 23, 2022 1:11:23 GMT -5
That one worked!
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Post by tcu2003 on Jan 21, 2022 21:16:40 GMT -5
I missed it. It took me to a page that said the tweet had been deleted.
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tcu2003
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Post by tcu2003 on Jan 18, 2022 21:20:30 GMT -5
My 2022 finished books include:
The Personal Librarian by Marie Benedict Multipliers: How the Best Leaders Make Everyone Smarter by Liz Wiseman The Last Chance Library by Freya Sampson The Apostle (Scot Harvath #8) by Brad Thor
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Post by tcu2003 on Jan 16, 2022 23:41:57 GMT -5
Got in a couple of walks this past week (even turned a zoom touchpoint with one of my employees to a walking one around her neighborhood as she’s relatively close to me - bonus!). We got snow overnight right Friday night/Saturday morning, so we did a slow 0.5 mile walk (and back) with the kids to the sledding hill yesterday and today. The snow will likely be gone tomorrow, so I’m hoping the sidewalks are clear enough to walk in my tennis shoes.
Eating was so-so. Im so tired of figuring out meals. It doesn’t help that my kids are not picky about the same things. One loves soup, one hates it. One will do some occasional pasta, the other hates it. Blergh. I think I’m just in a cooking funk so hopefully I figure it out soon.
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Post by tcu2003 on Jan 14, 2022 23:28:29 GMT -5
They're also working with Place for Mom which is turning out to be very helpful they are the ones that figured out the facility filed the wrong paperwork. Random, but my sister works there and it seems like a good company. And when the time comes, if my mom ever needs to go to a nursing home, sis will be able to help us figure out where.
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Post by tcu2003 on Jan 10, 2022 22:06:59 GMT -5
Hugs, Rae. So scary.
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Post by tcu2003 on Jan 10, 2022 13:41:03 GMT -5
I asked dd what games she liked at school parties and they must not be memorable because she had no idea. Then I was thinking the simple science experiments but they're all food stuff. At the bigger school parties the selfie station is popular. Printing them would get expensive but if they could be put on a slideshow for the kids during the party it could be fun. LOL, I'm with your daughter - I don't know that any of them are ever memorable. But I do like the "selfie" station, but do it as a photo booth instead. One of the parents could take everything on their phone and send to the teacher, or we could use the teacher's iPad if she was okay with that. Thanks!
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tcu2003
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Post by tcu2003 on Jan 10, 2022 13:28:50 GMT -5
Last week wasn't great, but did get a shorter walk in on Tuesday and longer walks yesterday and today. But yikes, when I did, my step count was low. I need to work on that. I was WFH M/T/W because the kids didn't go back to school until Thursday, and if I don't go out for a walk, I have a hard time getting in steps. On a related note, anyone in a colder climate have any recommendations for warmer pants/leggings/activewear? My jeans were definitely not cutting it yesterday and today on my longer walks. I have snow pants, but as they're about a half size too small and we don't actually have any snow on the ground, I don't want to wear those for walks. Sometimes I'll wear leggings under my sweatpants. I've been on the coast for the last decade, so it just doesn't get that cold here. I'll be back inland next winter, so I'll need a different plan! I do wear running gloves if I'm outside though. That definitely helps. This reminded me I've been meaning to ask. I've seen you note several times you guys are moving - is your DH switching school districts? retiring? moving closer to kids/grandkids?
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