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Sunday, July 12th, 2009
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4:15 pm - Who Knew A Bug Could Smell Like That?
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I had the weirdest bug experience last night.
I was outside and I was wearing a tank top. We were drinking wine and just hanging out on the porch when this beetle kind of bug buzzed over and landed on my shoulder. It was black but it had a tail that was kind of greenish like it glowed in the dark. When I went to flick it away it emitted this really strong scent that was something like ginger, lemon and lavender all over my shoulder. I was like "HOLY CRAP SMELL THIS BUG!!!" and Doug leaned over and we both sniffed my shoulder until the scent dissipated. He definitely smelled it, I wasn't imagining it.
I have been looking on the internets All Day Long trying to figure out what kind of bug it might have been. The closest I've come is a musk beetle, but it looked nothing like any of the pictures of musk beetles I've seen.
All I can think is that maybe it attracts prey by smelling like a flower?
Does anybody know an entomologist?
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| Thursday, July 9th, 2009
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9:46 am - $*%&^!!
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Last night was our second night of Ultimate Frisbee. We showed up and there weren't too many folks there at first, but we started throwing the frisbees around, just warming up. Doug jumped for one I threw and pulled his left thigh muscle.
We tried to stretch it out, put ice on it, got some Advil, etc., but he decided to sit out. We were three on three and I was all stretched out and warmed up and ready to go. Then right after the pull (where you launch the frisbee to the other team) I took three running steps and...
PULLED MY LEFT THIGH MUSCLE.
Couldn't run, couldn't walk. Cursed a lot. I haven't had an actual sports injury for a really really long time, if ever really. I tried to ice it and rest it for a while, then I tried to jog a little to see if it maybe wasn't really injured, but no dice. I'm down.
And Doug and I have identical injuries. How weird is that??
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| Tuesday, July 7th, 2009
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11:34 am - Food Musings
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We don't really need to talk about the significance of cooking and food in my life in general, but I've noticed some curious changes in habits since I started behaving like a normal person again (i.e. after the four months of smoking and watching SoapNet in my pajamas when I finally made the move).
In Chicago we mainly shopped at the local Mexican or Eastern European markets in the neighborhood because they were closer, cheaper and well-stocked. We pretty obviously don't have that option here. There is a small Mexican market in Oxford that carries some interesting local products (local pickled quail's eggs, for instance), but I'm disappointed by their meat department and their general selection is limited. There are two small Asian markets, mainly Korean. I'm becoming more familiar with Korean food but I'm so comfortable with it that I feel confident with spices or techniques. Or kimchee.
( The rest, blah blah blah... )
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| Thursday, July 2nd, 2009
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10:06 am - Turf Burn
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I have apparently joined an Ultimate Frisbee league. I was kind of whining about going last night, I'll admit. I have never played UF but I assumed it was kind of like football with frisbees and no tackling. Still, though I do work out pretty regularly I don't consider myself to be particularly athletically inclined so maybe I was a little nervous about that.
We heard about this group from our (Doug's right now because I still have Gary in Chicago) hair dresser, who is a friend we met at Damn Yankees a couple of months ago. She told Doug that we should just show up and introduce ourselves and they would let us play.
Sure enough, they did. I sat out for the first couple of series just sort of watching what they were doing, but eventually I jumped in. I was impressed with my ability to hang in there in the heat running up and down the field (I'm in better shape than I thought), and I scored a goal! I made a couple of good passes and took a good spill that gave me the the post-titling turf burn. I didn't suck!
And they were all really nice. Not too many girls, but I really liked April who was on my team. I forgot how much I liked the little finger-slap low-fives that the team all passes around when something fun happens.
I don't care so much about the turf burn (that's what long skirts are for), but I need to find a way to wrap my feet so that my sexy sexy orthotics don't cause 2-inch blisters on my arches (um, ouch). If I take the orthotics out I get foot and hip problems.
Also: I am older than I remember being. Whine, whine, whine.
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| Monday, June 29th, 2009
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11:30 am - Argh
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I cannot for the life of me imagine what I did with the title to my car. I mean, I know I own it because I remember paying it off and I'm not getting any harassing phone calls indicating that I didn't. We have a very special secret place that we put important documents like that, and there is no reason to think I might have put it elsewhere, and yet...it's not there. And it's not anywhere. I've spent the morning tearing apart bags and boxes of things it might have gotten misfiled or stuck in.
The problem with this is that my plates expire tomorrow. This is very unlike me.
But now I have to fill out a form and send it in and get a replacement title. Which will take a month. And of course even though I haven't been pulled over for a traffic offense in a very very long time, I worry that this will be the time it happens.
I can't stress about it because there is nothing I can do about it. I'll just do what I gotta do and hope for the best. Sigh.
The weekend was a little exhausting but overall really fun. The Wine Cellar guy and I did the tasting on Saturday, and the turnout was small (it was 900 degrees out) but I think I might get some business out of it. They all took a lot of business cards and my food was impressively good. I got some interest in wine dinners and in-home classes, so we'll see where it goes.
Selling yourself is exhausting. You have to walk a line of being sort of quietly humble about your (clearly awesome, if I do say so) skills while being able to talk about what you do and why without sounding like a crazy person. You give them enough to know that this is just the tip of the iceberg. You want more? I got more. You make them feel like they have a secret in knowing you, a social weapon they can use to impress the hell out of their friends. You tell them secrets, little tidbits to show that they can trust you.
And then you pack it all up and go home, and you eat the leftovers and hope that the phone will ring.
Despite being utterly wiped out, we ended up inviting over a recently retired professor named Rufus for dinner. I hadn't seen him since about a year ago at a cocktail party where we complained long and hard about the inexplicable fame of Cy Twombly. It was a smashing evening and I so enjoyed him that I hope we see him again very soon. Much wine was consumed, many subjects were discussed, poetry was read, and a new friendship was born.
The other awesomeness about this weekend was that last night Jess and Eric came over with Scott and Judy and we played a 6-person Catan game. Scott and Judy are now also addicted so we have a total of 8 people, including us, who are poised to become serious Catan players. Note: this is a greater number of dedicated players than we knew in Chicago. Crazy.
Today is kind of a day off but I might need to run over to the office at some point. Otherwise it's all administrative crap and cleaning up, and hopefully a trip to the gym. We have a high of 90 today so I probably want to take advantage of the cool weather...
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| Friday, June 26th, 2009
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10:10 am - Dear Dreams: You Could Be A LITTLE More Subtle, Geez!
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I don't post about dreams because they are boring. If you post a dream I will skip your post, so feel free to skip this, BUT
Last night I had a dream that I was living the life of some kind of secret agent. Whatever I was supposed to deliver got stolen and the protocol for when this happened was to take everything that connected you to your secret agent life to a hotel room - clothes, books, computer, everything - pour lighter fluid all over it, disconnect the smoke and fire alarms and SET IT ALL ON FIRE, while wiping your fingerprints clean of any evidence you were there in the first place. Then you would report back in and get a new life. If they didn't kill you.
REAL SUBTLE, BRAIN.
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9:18 am - Be Careful Of What You Do Because The Lie Becomes The Truth...
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I think that the insanity we saw more publicly in the second half of Michael Jackson's life was very likely not something new. This was a man who navigated an existence that none of us could fathom. There are very few even among his "peers" who could overlay their own experiences with prodigy, talent, innovation, celebrity and madness and say "I get it".
We know more about the effects of the pressure of celebrity on children now than we did then. If you think MJ wasn't already mad by 1983 I think you might be wrong.
What I see is a point in time where one man's madness was in sync with the world around him. It clicked and it worked and it never really ever worked the same way again.
But he was always Michael Jackson, and his death seems as inevitable as it is impossible.
Anyway, on with the world.
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| Tuesday, June 23rd, 2009
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1:42 pm - Can't A Girl Get A Duck Without The Staring Around Here?
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So THIS TIME I have done some research on local farms and I find out that lo and behold, someone is raising ducks!
And I figure well, this is great. Locally raised ducks, not all shot up with saline solution and such, yeah! At the sort of lame farmers' market I ran into the lady from this farm and our conversation went like this:
"Oh! Are you the folks who are raising ducks in Lincoln?"
"Yes we are! How many do you want?"
"How many do you have? And so you sell them frozen or fresh?"
STARE
"Um..."
"OH! Uh, not for eating then."
"Well, um, no...we'd kind of have to talk about that..."
"No, no, it's ok...if you have any duck eggs I'll take those instead..."
Poor woman. I offended her by suggesting I wanted to eat her ducks. Oh dear.
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10:02 am - Alabama - The Heat of Dixie
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Almost everyone has weather-related bitching to do whether it be too hot and miserable or too chilly and miserable, but I'll add my voice to the chorus: the weather blows. During the day I cannot get my house to drop below 78, even with the a/c temp set to 73. I hear that compressor churning and churning and churning and I feel like I should just be digging a hole and shoveling my money into it. Alabama is in the middle of one of the biggest heat waves since the 80's (there was a name for whatever is going on right now, but I don't remember what it was) and is setting heat records that have been held since the 30's. And no relief on the horizon. No change. The predicted high of 92 on Friday almost sounds like heavenly relief.
Anyway. Weather-related bitching welcome in the comments, especially if you took the time to read mine.
My in-laws were in town this weekend (*waves*!), which is always super fun. All of the folks have made the rounds down here now, though these are the first with any experience in the South. We actually had a pretty local weekend, no running off to Scottsdale or Tuscaloosa. Thought about going into Birmingham to see the Sloss Furnaces and attend a wine tasting but we could not muster enough collective enthusiasm to follow through. We did hit the farmers' market (which was...well, lame, but I guess it's early still) where we got some gossip and cheese from the goat cheese lady (don't know which was tastier...), visited the local wine shop and all three of the decent restaurants in town. I know I said I would not be going back to the place where I worked briefly when I arrived here, but I'm kind of over it now and also I need to borrow some stuff from him for the wedding I'm catering in August. And it's a pretty impressive brunch, really, to be honest. It was sort of strange to be moving around town and waving to people you kind of know, chatting with folks you see more and more frequently the longer you're around, and feeling like oh god...I live here.
Very much enjoyed the visit though. Hooray parents.
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| Thursday, June 18th, 2009
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9:09 am - Why We Didn't Move To Birmingham
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First off: If I owe you a mix CD I have not forgotten you, I promise. Just FYI.
So have I talked about why I haven't talked about the big move to Birmingham? I must not have because I keep getting that question and it sort of surprises me, because since I know what I'm doing so must everyone else.
But I started thinking more about this over the past few days because I've re-connected with a long-ago friend who spent a good portion of the last decade or more about as far away from home as he could get and has returned with a big old dose of culture shock. Anyway, he's sounding a lot like me.
( Under the Cut, For Length )
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| Friday, June 12th, 2009
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5:16 pm - Leave Taya on The Bus Or I'm Taking Her Down
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So tonight we can do either something culturally cool, like go see the Distant Cousins bluegrass band at the Rabbittown Cafe and Fiddlers Lounge.
Or we can go to the Gadsden Riverfest and see Bret Michaels.
Guess where we're going?
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| Wednesday, June 10th, 2009
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10:58 am - Random Wednesday Stuff
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My tomato plants are insane. I'm not sure they will make it through the entire summer of Alabama heat (I'm already watering twice a day at least) but there are little green fruits all over the place. I worry NOT about having too many tomatoes - ESPECIALLY because I also have freshly made duck stock with which to make tomato sauce for freezing. Doug has never been a fan of raw tomatoes but even he is excited about the ones we are growing ourselves.
I've set the date to do the tasting of my food at the wine shop during one of his Saturday wine tastings on the 27th. He's going to invite the "friends of the Wine Cellar", i.e. people who can afford to hire me. So yay. I'm still refining the menu but I have some definites. I figure 4 dishes, two for red wine and two for white.
I'm so glad to have a grill finally. We had a little propane one in Chicago (which might still be on the porch, for all I know) but we didn't even really use that one much. This week I've grilled every night except Sunday when we had leftover grilled pancetta-wrapped duck. Monday night I made pork chops with garlic/lime mojo and last night I grilled some pizza. New toys.
It's 11:00 and I really could be getting more work done, not taking "How Girly Are You?" quizzes on Facebook, so I think I'll do that.
(The answer, according to the extremely lame criteria, was 0%, FYI)
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| Tuesday, June 9th, 2009
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12:21 pm - At Least I Have 30 Days of It
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Oh free makeup sample, why must you make my skin look so pretty when I can't afford you?
Sigh.
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| Thursday, June 4th, 2009
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9:12 am - I Do Too Do Stuff!
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Last night I kind of felt like I didn't do much of anything but watch bad tee vee. Then this morning I was driving to work and I said WAITAMINNIT:
Last night I:
1. Worked an extra half hour
2. Went to the gym
3. Went to the grocery store
4. Made not one but TWO versions of a test recipe of Jambalaya
5. Broke down two ducks, separated parts into fat, bones for stock, breasts and leg/thighs
6. Prepared the leg/thighs for confit
7. Calculated 6 recipe conversions for bulk preparation
8. MADE MINI APPLE PIES
So, brain that insists I'm lazy: you can shut up any time.
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| Wednesday, June 3rd, 2009
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1:47 pm - Rum Holiday Through The Years
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I was realizing that I've had this journal for just over 6 years. I went back through the entries to see what I was doing on this day during those years:
2003: Working in Skokie at the publishing company. My cats were having problems getting along and McEachern almost went to live with a Jehovah's Witness.
2004: I watched The Sweet Smell of Success and thought Tony Curtis was dreamy.
2005: I saw Ozomatli at Grant Park and got cable tee vee.
2006: Holy cow! I've been trying to remember this forever! The Catan White Whale Rule: It's a house rule. We had a blank card with a resource back on it in the box. Its new name is the "White Whale". When the barbarian attacks and Catan is defended, the White Whale goes to the player who contributed the least number of soldiers. If it's a tie for the least, it goes to nobody. The White Whale can be used as a "wild card" to represent any resource (not commodity) and can be traded and used as you normally would any other resource.
2007: Paul Stibbs, Attitude Adjuster, passes from this world.
2008: I had stomach pain, lost keys, and 800-thread count sheets.
Time marches on.
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11:14 am - Reboot
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I'm glad that it's not that expensive to fly to Chicago, because I am not sure I could handle visiting less frequently. I love my peeps and I don't get to spend nearly enough time with everyone, and sometimes schedules just don't overlap at all. Then you think you have it all working perfectly but you've forgotten something or somebody important. Sigh.
But still, FUN! Doug and I returned to Alabama on an earlier standby flight than we had booked and spent the rest of Monday sort of dazed and confused, recovering from the Chicago overload.
Yesterday I shopped for groceries and then garden supplies at WalMart (the herb garden is a little stressed out, between the overload of rain and the recent hot and dry weather. I'm trying to nurse it back. I have 4 tomatoes on my Roma plants and plenty of buds on my Rutgers, and the nasturtium blooms are bursting like bright orange popcorn kernels). I also got a grill, HOORAY.
I needed this little break I think, and it was a good time for it. Things got a little crazy when I took this job so suddenly (not BAD crazy, but all rushing at me pretty fast) and then it got so busy so suddenly with the conference and all. When I got back I pulled up my iCal and started plugging things in for the summer so that I have a good picture in my mind of everything coming up. There is the wedding catering to plan (big project), work obligations, family visits, general summer fun, plus the task of building on personal goals (the gym, relationship/friendship/family tie maintenance, the catering business, etc.) and somehow it all needs to fit. The Chicago break was a step back so that I could return knowing what my life is sort of going to look like for the foreseeable future and ready to take on the challenge of trying to corral it.
So I'm back at work. I could not get up for the gym this morning so I'm trying to figure out if I can work it in this afternoon. When I get home this evening I have two ducks thawed in my fridge that need attention (yes, those ducks), which is a project in itself (break down, render fat, clean bones for stock, prepare things and legs for confit, etc.). Balancing energy is maybe the overall challenge here.
Forward march.
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| Thursday, May 28th, 2009
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10:38 am - Where I Live
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| Monday, May 25th, 2009
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8:36 am - Today.
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So we've taught our friends Eric and Jess the game of Catan, and we've created monsters. We played on Saturday night and they called yesterday saying "hey, uh...bring that game over." Ha!
Doug and I have spent a number of evenings playing on line, but it's really not the same at all. The trash talking is probably one of the more enjoyable aspects of the game, that and the little stories you tell about your townsfolk and your knights and what they may or may not be doing with the sheep. On line you just get a lot of "PLAY FASTER PLZ".
Today I get ready for my trip to Chicago. I hope it clears up (hey guess what - it's raining. AGAIN.) because I really would like to get out and take some pictures like I've been planning to do for a while (every time I've had the time and motivation it's been raining. Hrrrmph.). I got the shot of what might be the icing on the photostream cake last night and it's inspired me to make an effort to work on the photo project. As long as it's not raining.
I also have about 5 pounds of apples to cook up so they don't just go to waste, laundry to do and clothes to put away, shopping to tackle and bills to organize. And I should go to the gym.
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| Tuesday, May 19th, 2009
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11:38 am - Could Be Worse
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After many many days of rain (and more coming) the weather is more or less as perfect as it's going to get here. Cool in the morning, sunny and warm in the afternoon, low humidity - in other words, nothing like the typical weather in Alabama.
My tomato plants have buds. My herb garden is out of control. My baby nasturtium sprouts have grown into awkward, lanky teenagers.
Next week I am going to Chicago on an insanely cheap flight deal ($113 RT from ATL). I'm digging my flexible life.
I may have landed a Colombian wedding for March. Who's up for a trip to La Fonda in Chicago for culinary "research"?
Yesterday I dropped my poor sick MacBook off at the Apple Store in Birmingham for them to repair my dead disc drive. Next door was a Williams-Sonoma (how did I not find The Summit before?) to which I have an unused gift certificate. I found something I want and will get when I go back to pick up the computer, but the associate was also really nice and took some of my business cards for their catering file. Apparently they get a lot of brides from out this way.
I am positively shocked that it is Memorial Day weekend. So shocked that I thought I had booked my ticket for Chicago FOR Memorial Day weekend, only to discover that I had actually booked it for the following weekend. That ended up being better overall, but still. I am not really minding feeling a little topsy-turvy for now, but I keep having dreams about "cleaning up" and "organizing" very messy spaces.
Maybe I just need a personal assistant.
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| Monday, May 18th, 2009
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2:10 pm - Tomato/Fingah
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OK here is the part that was not so awesome:
I got the kitchen all set up on Saturday morning and was kind of puttering around and I decided to start slicing the tomatoes. Figured I could layer them with some paper towels and get some of the moisture out to help keep the sandwiches from getting too soggy too fast.
So I picked up a tomato and I started to slice. One slice, two, thr-MOTHEROFTHEFUCKING FUCK FUCK FUCK!
I had sliced through the end of my pinkie finger. I knew when I looked at it that I needed a stitch, but there was not a whole lot I could do about it at the moment. I wrapped it as tightly as I could with the bandaids I carry in my kit (diverting attention by sending the Be Latino ladies to fill chests with ice), washed and bleached the knife and board, and for a while I actually thought it might be ok, but by 1 in the afternoon it was clear it was not going to stop gushing.
I got the kitchen organized for load-out and I went to one of the ladies I work with who is an RN. And I figure that I'm, you know, covered because hell - I'm in a Speed Dome full of EMTs!
Well, it doesn't work that way. They apparently don't do stitches, and the several opinions I got all concurred that I needed one. My boss offered to sew it up for me and I was totally going to let him, but I ended up being driven to the clinic in Oxford and getting Dermabonded. I went back to work because it didn't hurt, it just needed to stop bleeding.
Note to self: remove finger from under tomato before slicing. Sigh.
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