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Surround Me Now
Today marks the 27th anniversary of my dad, Sonny’s passing. Living with loss is one of the life’s greatest achievements, I think. Not a day goes by without thinking about my dad – for one reason or another. Every year he consumes my thoughts when June 10 rolls around. Sometimes fleeting glimpses of silly moments… Continue reading
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What Do You See?
Well-chosen words add richness to my life… when I slow down and let them in. I have a daily quote book that I love, but I’ll confess I’ve been remiss. Too busy to slow down and take a peek. I have favorites throughout – obvious when I see how the book is beginning to age… Continue reading
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Moving On
I’ll spare you all of the details, but a dear client came to me this week with a dilemma. A rewind of a persistent issue… For several years he’s allowed someone he thought of as a friend to live rent free in his head, plagued by her insensitivities and indiscretions of all sorts. Perhaps… Continue reading
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Peek Inside: “Surviving Sue” – News!
Thanks so much for the continuing interest in my book, “Surviving Sue”. I’m grateful to the Palos Heights Public Library for hosting me on May 9. What a beautiful library and lovely people! Coming up next? Registration is still open for the course I’ll be teaching at Harper College, starting June 18. It’s an in-person… Continue reading
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Podcast Friday! Remembering Matters
“The world is shaped by two things – stories told and the memories they leave behind.” -Vera Nazarian My dad, Sonny, was a joyful man. At times. When I rewind and attempt to find photos where he’s smiling, though, I’m at a loss. When life was good, he was typically behind the camera capturing the… Continue reading
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In it…to Win it…With Gratitude
I hate to exercise. Hate, hate, hate it. Except…I always feel better after. Everything I know about endorphins and ‘happy chemicals’ from a therapeutic point of view – often helping athletes with sports performance issues – applies to me. It always has, but to get the benefit, like most things that are worthwhile in life,… Continue reading
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My Favorite Trio…
I love it when the Universe sends mini-messages. I need to pay attention, but more often than not while I’m drinking my morning tea or coffee, I can conjure up a dynamic duo of insight. Occasionally they roll in as terrific trios. That’s what happened this morning. I give myself a set amount of time… Continue reading
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Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes…
Changes. Being the new guy…I think it’s a tough role and it’s one I played over and over again as a child – moving a lot because of my dad’s job. When Wynne and I chatted with the wonderful Mark Petruska in this week’s podcast, I remembered there’s joy to be found when we step… Continue reading
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Don’t Waste the Moments
I had a wonderful, unexpected encounter the other day. I’m in search mode for athletic shoes that won’t bother my Achilles tendon and Haglund’s Deformity. (How’s that for disclosure right off the bat?) If you don’t know what a Haglund’s issue is, I invite you…err caution you…to Dr. Google it. I resent the oft-applied label… Continue reading
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Keeping Company
There are two lines from a Mary Oliver poem, “Mysteries, Yes” that I adore, in part because it serves as a warning and a reminder that being selective about the people, the energy I allow into my life is an active effort. I’d planned to send a snippet of Oliver’s poem to a particular person… Continue reading
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Loving Lisa: Easter Candy Absolution
I love, love, love my sister Lisa. (For any new reader friends, Lisa is my beloved older sister who is developmentally disabled.) Functionally, Lisa has a few physical disabilities, too, but they don’t slow her down much. She’s hilarious and quirky, with a savant memory for vintage TV trivia and music. If not for loving… Continue reading
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Podcast Friday! “The Loop Files”
Young and defiant. Memory lane moments. Tortured teen years. Angst before adulthood. Reading Rick Kaempfer’s “The Loop Files” should fall into the category of time travel. I think I logged more than a few miles when I reminisced and read. I feel bad for my dog-eared copy (see images snipped in above). It looks like… Continue reading
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Podcast Friday! The Next Good Thing
Wynne and I love a thought-provoking chat with our friend, Dr. Gerald Stein. This – our 60th episode – marks the sixth time we’ve enjoyed learning from one of our favorite podcast guests. Maybe it’s the introspectiveness that arrives when Spring dances before us in the Northern Hemisphere. Opportunity and new life; longer days and… Continue reading
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Podcast Friday! Chilling Out & Warming Up
Maybe I’m influenced by the fact that it’s March 22 and we’re getting a dose of snow in the Chicago area? Maybe I’m dreaming about writer and musician Todd Fulginiti’s love of the beach as his ‘happy place’ – wishing that warmer weather was here…NOW? Maybe…if I let myself, I can be warmed by the… Continue reading
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When You Crack Yourself Up: “Wind Beneath My Wings”
No disrespect intended toward Bette Midler, but her famous song is akin to a laugh track for me. I can’t listen to even the teensiest bit of “Wind Beneath My Wings” without losing my mind. I’ll explain… Do you get the giggles at inopportune times? I’ve been plagued with poorly-timed giggle fits forever. I still… Continue reading
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Lizette’s 4-Steps
I love, love, love it when a former student stays in touch. In most situations the reason is related to providing a reference or a letter of recommendation – for grad school or for a job opportunity. I don’t care about the ‘why’. It’s a privilege to be thought of, sometimes five or ten years… Continue reading
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Podcast Friday! Writing Inspiration
I know a podcast is worth my time when I listen and learn – in digestible nuggets. Take-aways which inform and inspire. That’s what happened recently when I chatted with Wynne Leon and Brian Hannon as we discussed Brian’s abundant talents as a writer. Brian pivots from corporate communications to personal storytelling with an ease… Continue reading
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I’d Like to Thank…
I don’t know how it happened. One thousand designs? I mean…I know I’ve been busy creating promo materials for “Surviving Sue” and posting on my personal blog – right here on Victoria Ponders and partnering with my writer friends on Sharing the Heart of the Matter but 1000 designs? Wow. I took a gander and… Continue reading
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Peek Inside: “Surviving Sue” – Loving Lisa
Today is my big sister, Lisa’s birthday. Now that both of our parents are gone, it’s a high holiday that we continue to celebrate, honoring Lisa. One of the most magical humans I know. Lisa wasn’t expected to thrive or survive, but she did. She has. Despite being born premature and with substantial developmental disabilities… Continue reading
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Perspective
I’m a bit of a wayward poet. Writing when the spirit moves me…my practice is unpredictable. This one? It arrived this morning and I’m still working through what it means. Poetry is like that for me – appearing in a flourish. I receive and sometimes share. Making meaning of it – beyond the obvious geometry?… Continue reading
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ICYMI-Monday: Comfort in My Hands
Yes…this is a rewind post, brought to you by a dream. Last night my dad appeared in a goofy romp of an overnight, subconscious interlude where he wore his favorite swim trunks, preparing to dive into his pool, whilst wearing the most unlikely garment up top: the sweater his beloved sister knitted for him, decades… Continue reading
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Podcast Friday: Just Jack
For the love of Jack. Just Jack. No, no. Not THAT Jack. Although I’m a fan of “Will and Grace” and of Sean Hayes. I’ve got another Jack on my mind… When Wynne and I sat down to chat with our favorite playwright and author, Jack Canfora, we knew we were in for a good time. What… Continue reading
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Sharing a Secret: My Magic Mood Booster
I found a funny Venn diagram online. I’m not sure of the attribution, but for this very visual, coffee-loving girl, it made me smile. I wish I’d created it, honestly. Sometimes…a picture – a good graphic – says so much. More than words. See what I mean? Which brings me to a favorite song that I cannot… Continue reading
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When You Crack Yourself Up: Just Go!
Some of my all-time favorite posts are those that are confessional. Where I tell on myself. I started the ‘Crack Yourself Up’ series in 2022 and if you’re curious about reading more about silly…stupid…Vicki, here’s a link so you can catch up. Or not. You decide. But the point of this post? I’ve got a… Continue reading
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Podcast Friday: Super Stylin’ Edition
I loved talking with Wynne’s sister-in-law Lindsey in the most recent Sharing the Heart of the Matter podcast. Lindsey’s a talented creative person who has mad, crazy skills in curating wardrobes, helping clients to simplify and feel good about themselves by honoring their bodies when it comes to styling and apparel. This isn’t JUST a… Continue reading
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Classic Rewind: Apocalyptic Brownies
Every now and then, a piece of writing, a post from the past still speaks to me. I smile when I think of these as my very own ‘classic rewinds’. Coming at you on this ICYMI-M (In Case You Missed It Monday). First published in August, 2022. I love the pic of my favorite “Dad and daughter”… Continue reading
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Classic Rewind: Singing in the Lifeboats
Every now and then, a piece of writing, a post from the past still speaks to me. I smile when I think of these as my very own ‘classic rewinds’. Coming at you on this ICYMI-M (In Case You Missed It Monday). First published in February, 2023. Singing in the Lifeboats At first blush, this quote… Continue reading
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Podcast Friday – Plus!
Being vulnerable is a tough thing. Having a buddy to travel with as you peel back the layers and engage in self-disclosure is a joy and a blessing and those two words describe my friend, Wynne Leon perfectly. She’s a joy and a blessing, for sure! This week, not only did we have a thoughtful… Continue reading
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In Plain Sight
It’s idiom time! Thank you, once again, Merriam Webster: I had an experience last week that reminded me of one of my favorite topics when I was in teacher mode, a unit about the limits of human perception…being unable to see what’s in front of us. I don’t know how much fun the lecture was,… Continue reading
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Podcast Friday: Pancake Edition
I’m not sure how it happened, but Wynne and I are celebrating our Golden Podcast Anniversary. No, silly people. Not 50 years of podcasting – 50 episodes – and we’re a little thunder-struck: Thank you to listeners! Nearly 2000 ‘listens’ and I’ll be honest – only a couple in that tally are Wynne and I… Continue reading
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Stevie the Wonder Cat
I am not a cat person…achooooo! But cats intrigue me – they always have. One of my all-time favorite Steinlen posters is “Clinique Cheron” because of the beautiful composition of cats (and yes, a few doggos, too) in the artwork. I love it and a version of has hung proudly in nearly every room of… Continue reading
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A Greeting Times Three
Sun, moon and stars… A pink stripe in the eastern sky while Venus twinkled heavenward The half-moon said both good day and goodbye And descended into the western horizon…tucking itself in for the day A greeting times three… I like it. This was a fleeting experience this morning. January is making itself known with a forecast… Continue reading
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When You Crack Yourself Up: Shake & Bake
Our kitchen remodel was close to a yearlong process, and I can’t believe – looking back to a year ago at this time – I was staring down the removal of our oven as we ‘roughed it’ with a makeshift kitchen (mostly in the basement and in our laundry room) for months and months. It’s… Continue reading
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Happy New Dear?
I know we’re only getting started…but are you still with me? This morning, while the house was uber-duper-super-duper quiet, I spied a friend. Just as the sun rose, our backyard, which has been a haven for dear deer for years and years picked up a New Year’s dear deer visitor. (I have now officially tested… Continue reading
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My Wish for 2024: Be True to You
On January 1, 2023 I wrote a post quoting Dostoevsky of all things. I shared 490 words about being silly and putting a premium on being myself. Goofy due to sleep deprivation? Sometimes. Goofy because it’s my natural state? Quick to laugh whenever I can – especially at myself? Definitely. That beginning-of-the-year ramble inspired my… Continue reading
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Embrace the Messy
I took a photo of the moon this morning. This moon – the one in the pic above. I had one eye open (barely) as I crept downstairs before dawn. The moonshine was so very bright I thought I’d missed a few hours of daylight. I thought the sun was already high in the sky. But… Continue reading
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Enjoying the Moment!
Amazon rankings are like shooting stars — or roller coasters…fast, fleeting with scary twists and turns. But for the moment, I’m sitting pretty. Me…and “Surviving Sue” hanging out at #29. Cheers to supportive readers! Vicki ❤️ Continue reading
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Happy Birthday, Dad! ❤
Ho, Ho, Ho…and a heads-up! You may have read this post from a year ago…thinking about my beloved papa as his birthday rolled around. Today marks what would’ve been his 88th birthday and I’ll be celebrating him all day – in ways large and small – not least of which as I remember the gifts he… Continue reading
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Peek Inside: “Surviving Sue” – Heartfelt Feedback
I think one of the reasons I wrote about my mom, Sue, was to receive support and recognition for the effort and triumph of literally surviving Sue. If you’d asked me as I was wrote, I would’ve shrugged off that thought because I wanted to believe I was writing for posterity. To bring clarity for… Continue reading
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You Are the Universe
I love this quote: You are the universe, expressing itself as a human for a little while. -Eckhart Tolle “You are the universe” is such a powerful phrase. A nudge to take care of ourselves, lest our needs tumult to the bottom of a lengthy to-do list. Tolle’s reminder also speaks to urgency…we are one,… Continue reading
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Podcast Friday! Holiday Wisdom 🌟
I have a love/hate relationship with the holidays. I love the revelry and festivities. I hate the anxiety and retread over painful bits of family history. Every family’s got their share and I’ve yet to find wisdom that’s better than the gift Wynne and I received from our friend and writer, Stuart Perkins. Across my… Continue reading
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Peek Inside: “Surviving Sue” – Sue Had Rizz
Have you heard? The youthful Gen Z term,“rizz”, was crowned 2023’s word of the year by the publishers of the Oxford English Dictionary: What it means: For those of us who haven’t heard the term before, “rizz” is slang for “style, charm, or attractiveness” or “the ability to attract a romantic or sexual partner,” according to… Continue reading
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Lean Into the Light
I’ve had many mantras. Nothing fancy, just little bits of wisdom that fly into my consciousness if I can air it out. I tend to be a wayward thinker and can get wrapped up in cloaking mode, self-editing. Some days…. it’s a chore to self-talk my way into being me. Less artifice. Invoking advice from… Continue reading
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Podcast Friday! Best Friend…Part Deux
Shoot. Darn. Rats. I don’t know where that expression comes from (I haven’t dug in to find out) but it came into my life from a dear work colleague who often wanted to unleash every swear word in her arsenal when she saw someone being slighted or maligned. Instead, “Caitlin” would vehemently vent, while pacing… Continue reading
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Peek Inside: “Surviving Sue” – Holiday Hopefulness
“We’ve all survived a Sue in our lives in one way or another. It’s a personal narrative that hits our hearts.” -Elizabeth I love Elizabeth’s feedback and wisdom. Yes — maybe your nemesis wasn’t named “Sue” but increasingly as readers dig into “Surviving Sue” I receive input that the challenges I wrote about are familiar.… Continue reading
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Sentimental Significance
Some of you might recall the stories I shared about our big kitchen remodeling project. The kitchen refresh that morphed into a bathroom remodel…and then a gut of the laundry room. Guess what?! We’re on the other side and we survived! Paul and I are still married (and speaking to each other!) and we’re beyond… Continue reading
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Podcast Friday! Being Your Own Best Friend
It’s a delight when Wynne and I get to visit with our friend, Dr. Gerald Stein and this week’s podcast was sooooo good, it’s dropping in two parts. I find I’m especially ready to receive wisdom when the calendar turns to December. Something about the end of one year and the near dawn of the… Continue reading
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The Best Morning Smile
Don’tcha love it when something simple makes your day? As I drove to an appointment I dreaded this morning I found myself following a truck with the sweetest bumper sticker EVER. I tried to capture a pic as I sat behind the large red truck at several stop lights, but they didn’t turn out well… Continue reading
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Lucid Dream: Vicki Style
Do you have recurring stress dreams? I’ve had the same one for years and I think it’s related to my former work life and a lot of travel – presenting at conferences and seminars around the country. I LOVED that part – doing the workshops and visiting with people. But traveling for me – then… Continue reading
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Podcast Friday! Listen to the Children
I’m not sure it’s a good idea to play favorites…but this week’s podcast takes the cake…and that’s saying a lot around here, given that it’s the Friday after the feast-o-rama known as Thanksgiving. I’m so full of pie. I AM pie. But there’s a nice detour ahead. I can’t think of anything better that receiving… Continue reading
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Girlfriend Gratitude
One of the absolute best things about growing older is the comfort of friends who’ve been around the globe with you a time or two…or more. I’m lucky in that way with my dearest Linda whose been at my side for decades. We both know that holiday time can summon a flood – a rush… Continue reading
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Thanksgiving Delights
I grew up enjoying David Letterman’s special brand of irreverent humor. Considering how provocative and outrageous comedy has become, Dave’s mild-mannered grumblings and observations seem ultra tame in the looking back. Odd, though…my dad disliked Dave, sharing often that he was no competition for his beloved Johnny Carson. Loyal to a fault, dad thought Letterman… Continue reading
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The Mismatch: Words and Deeds
I haven’t shared much about my poetry practice here on Victoria Ponders but it’s a part of my life and a tool that I return to for reflection and resolution. I love a good ‘free write’ and while I’ve written about other poetry in the past, taking a few minutes to allow a stanza or… Continue reading
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Peek Inside: “Surviving Sue” – Mentoring Matters
I’d like to introduce you to someone special. Someone I adore. Professor John Muchmore, now retired, was a dear college faculty member and mentor and he helped me find my voice…the one that was often squelched by my mom, Sue. He was a speech and theatre teacher…but to me, he was a maestro and a… Continue reading
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Lisa Gets the Last Word
When people ask me to describe my sister Lisa’s personality, I share that she is sweet beyond belief and fragile, but I also acknowledge her ever-growing capacity to advocate for herself and assert her point of view. Lisa is simultaneously delightful and determined with a sense of humor like a steam roller. Coming in. Make… Continue reading
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When You Crack Yourself Up: “Coffee” Style
I’ve been doing the “proffee” thing for a couple of years. You’ve heard of this? The trick of jazzing up your morning joe with a little protein powder? It’s yummy…if you mix it well with your milk of choice and then add your coffee. Iced or hot – it’s great. I love a little vanilla… Continue reading
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Podcast Friday!
TGIF times a zillion. It’s been a week around here. How ‘bout you? If you have a few minutes, I think you’ll enjoy my latest chat with Wynne…about how to recognize looming disappointment and batten down our hatches. Speaking for myself, my hatches need battening. 😉 Wynne and I love to laugh – as much… Continue reading
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Happy Birthday, Hubs!
Yep…it’s the hubster, Paul’s, birthday. And you might be wondering about the combo of photos represented here. A pic of a blueberry cake and a truly beaten up old deskplate/sign? What do these two things have to do with Paul’s birthday? I’m gonna tell you! 😉 You might’ve discerned that a cake…and his birthday might not… Continue reading
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Evocative Artistry
Crawling into my soul I can occasionally discern connections between beloved works of art. Not because I have any training. I’m just a devoted patron and a woman in awe of artistry. All things visual draw me in and when I can use imagery to help solidify a feeling or capture a long-lost moment, my… Continue reading
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Push Those Buttons!
Speaking of cars and driving – which I explore in my Heart of the Matter post today – sharing memory lane recollections of safety lessons from my papa. I had an a-ha. I realized the driving issues of today would make my dad cringe. When he passed away in 1997, cell phones were becoming less… Continue reading
“Surviving Sue”, a special story about resiliency and love: Eckhartz Press (paperback) and eBook on Amazon.
Peek Inside “Surviving Sue“
Visit Resources on Atkinson Group Solutions for more.
Workshops
Chicago Writers Association Speakers Bureau – Writing for Wellness; Navigating Elder Care with Grace & Humor
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