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 Posted: Thu Dec 18, 2008 6:53 pm
It was a dreary, sad day as Reaghan strolled down the street. His hands in his pockets, his head down, he walked up to a boarded up building. Pulling his hand from his pocket, he placed it on the door and sighed. Happy memories came rushing back to him, but were soon drowned by anger and envy. He felt as empty and abandoned inside as the building in front of him. "Where did they all go? Why did they leave me?" he sighed. It had felt like decades since he had seen Erasmus, Andie, Lieneke and the others. Even his beloved girlfriend Akshaya had seemed to disappear. He turned to continue on, but suddenly caught sight of a note tacked to the door. Hoping it was from someone he knew, perhaps an explanation, he grabbed it and read it:
"Feeling Alone? Need something to do in your Free Time? Want to Make Friends your age?
Come to the Amalgamated Building of Barton! Where everyone is Welcome.
We provide Day Care and services for Latch Key Kids and Youths. We also cater to Teenagers and Adults.
Stop on by!"
Crumpling up the note he grumbled and went to toss it in the garbage can. Feeling a slight change of heart he flattened out the paper, folded it and placed it in his pocket. "Maybe Mae will be interested in this place for one of her friends kids..." He shrugged, I doubt I'll find anyone like me there...I never fit in anywhere. Taking one last glance back at the Kuatalmot shop, he headed home.
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Posted: Sun Jan 04, 2009 8:17 am
Time to take down the Christmas tree, I guess. It's shedding needles everywhere and looking like something Charlie Brown would pick. And it is the new year, best to start fresh, so out it goes...once I get all the decorations off and put away. It's the next best thing to a resolution, I suppose.
Didn't do much of anything on New Year's Eve...but that's just the way me and Mae do it. She used to be a bit of a wild child from what her brothers say, but as soon as she found me, she mellowed out a lot. I'm not saying she went all maternal, she just started thinking less of herself and more of me and of life. I'm sure she'd rather booze it up at a party, but stuffing ourselves with food and then setting off sparklers in the snow...It's nice...and she does it for me. Maybe next year I'll let her go out, demand she goes out...she can't always be miserable on my account...Well, yes she can...Maybe next year we'll both go out together.
Anyways, I'll stop rambling and dawdling and get to taking down the tree.
-Reaghan
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Posted: Sat Jan 24, 2009 3:34 am
So, Maeko thinks I should make some friends and stop being so mopey. She may be right...I'm so mopey and bored I hardly feel my jealousy at all anymore. Maybe it's gone away for good? Maybe it disappeared when everyone else disappeared. Anyways, she enrolled me in some classes at ACC [ya know, Aekea Community College]. A creative writing course, a photography course and an introduction to music. Doesn't sound too terribly bad, and It's only three days a week. I can't imagine what else she might have me do to fill up my time.
-Reaghan
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Posted: Sat Feb 07, 2009 8:44 pm
Well, as much as I hate to admit it, school isn't all that bad. I'm actually enjoying my classes, but I'll never tell Mae that! My Intro to Music class is really great, everyone likes the same styles and bands, we all get on great. After my photography class they had a big ice cream social in the Student Union, and since I had spare time between classes, I went. All the different clubs had tables set up, trying to get people to join. They have a music club, and most of the kids in my ItM class are members, and it's right after class. Might stick around and see if it's any good, and I heard there's food...so why not!
- Reaghan
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Posted: Mon Mar 02, 2009 3:39 pm
Great! Just great! I already felt like I didn't belong, but now I know it! How on earth am I going to be able to write a short story about my childhood? I didn't have a childhood! Unless you count wisping around a shop until some unlucky girl bought me and I followed her home. Or my sudden burst into bodily life. I'm not even a real person...everything about me is forged...I'm a walking, talking lie! Temma doesn't even know the whole truth about me. I love her and I've told her everything...everything but where I came from. And even if I did tell people, they would never believe me...they'd probably have me sectioned and put away in a psych hospital. Who would have thought a stupid little writing assignment would throw me into an existential meltdown. I almost want to just forget about it, just not write anything. Whatever I say, It'll be a lie...and I just can't handle that...there's already enough. I just wish I were real, wish I were normal...More then ever before, I wish I were just like everyone else!
- Reaghan
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Posted: Sun May 10, 2009 2:25 pm
Haven't written down anything in a while. Well, best update. That story I had to write ended up being changed. The teacher left early on maternity leave and her replacement decided to change up the prompt a bit. We ended up having to write a story about what we think our life would have been like had we been born the opposite gender. I bullshitted my way through it, and it didn't turn out half bad. I got an 89% on it. Some kids in the class read parts of their stories to us, and they were hilarious! They were 10 times as strange as my reality. Sitting there listening made me feel down right normal!
Anyway, mid-terms went off without a hitch. Ended up getting a 93% in Creative Writing, a 97% in Intro to Music and a 94% in photography. Back in April the school held an art show, to showcase works by some promising students, and a few of my pictures were chosen. I was so shocked and happy. I felt really proud, it was such a great feeling to be praised and complimented, and a wonderful break from Jealousy. It would probably have been impossible for the pictures to turn out bad...I mean, they were of Temma! She 's never taken a bad picture in her life. The shoot was great. I stopped by during one of her classes and snapped a few shots of her and her students. Then I snapped a few artsy black & white ones of her on her own, going through some sequences.
You should have seen her face when she showed up at the showcase. I've never seen her so red. People kept going up to her and complimenting her, and it made me feel so proud! She was stunning and she was mine! When the showcase was over, I gave her some of them to display at home and at the Academy. Her instructors liked them so much they asked me to come and photograph some classes and performances, to put in the school and in brochures and advertisements. They even paid me. To think that I almost didn't go to class. I'm so glad Maeko signed me up. It was one of the best things she's done for me.
Well, that covers the big stuff, I suppose. It's May now and finals are coming up. I'm a bit nervous, which is a strange new feeling for me. I just hope I do well, so as not to disappoint my teachers or Maeko. It felt so great to know how proud she was of me. I'd just hate to let her down. And it wouldn't hurt to start off the summer on a good note. I can't wait for break, I just hope the weather is better then it was last summer! Well, I'll write again once something big happens.
- Reaghan
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Posted: Tue Jun 23, 2009 11:30 pm
Reaghan J. O'Rourke ID # 8402066
Spring Term 2009
Final
ENG 102 - Creative Writing - 97%
MUS 101 - Introduction to Music - 95%
ART 201 - Photography - 98%
Final exams done and over with. Grades were posted just last week and boy was I pleased. Went down a bit in Intro to Music, but went up in Creative Writing and Photography. Mae was so proud that she treated me to a fabulous dinner at Maestro's. Had a wonderful time and, surprisingly, I'm actually looking forward to taking more classes in the fall. But before that happens, I'm looking forward to the summer. I can't wait for all the parties and picnics and lazy days at the shore, boating on the lake and laying around on the beach. Three months of sheer joy and...fabulous-ness. Bring it on!
- Reaghan
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Posted: Sun Aug 09, 2009 5:32 pm
Ah! Summer...It's finally here. But before I know it, it'll be gone...so I won't waste time journaling about what I'm doing. I'd rather spend that time doing what I'm doing. But for posterity, I'll try and jot down anything that may be important. Don't go expecting any Shakespeare or Hemingway though! Now, I've gotta run!
June 17th : Well, I've spent a few days here already. Here being Temma's house in Barton. She is practicing, teaching and rehearsing for a ballet that her school will be putting on in about a week and a half. I've been going to the school with her and photographing various classes and rehearsals, as a favor to the instructors. They'll be used in print ads and on their website, stuff like that. Some time next week I'll be shooting the dress rehearsal, so they can send out ads with the dancers in costume.
Oh! The ballet they're doing is George Balanchine's Midsummer Night's Dream. Managed to snag two opening night tickets for Maeko and her boyfriend Lennox. She's a huge fan of the play [I think it's the only thing Shakespeare wrote that she likes. She absolutely abhors Romeo & Juliette! LOL] Temma is dancing the role of Titania, the queen of the fairies, the one that falls in love with an a**.
June 24th : What a day! I'm exhausted, and all I did was watch the rehearsal. The dancing is so beautiful and the costumes really brought everything to life. Temma looked stunning! And all of her students looked just brilliant, like they truly were little fairies and pixies. I was so impressed at how well-behaved they were too. I guess ballet really does teach them discipline and calmness. Though, there were a few of the littler ones who were amped up and running about. I think the excitement of seeing the sets and wearing their costumes for the first time really got them going.
June 26th : Opening Night! And what a night it was. The ballet was absolutely beautiful. So beautiful, in fact, that I would have enjoyed it whether Temma was in it or not. Her whole family, all 18 of them, came to see it. Maeko and Lennox were there as well [She was so thrilled when I gave her the tickets!] After it was all over, the whole lot of us went out for dessert at this great little ice cream parlor. You could see the panic in the eyes of our servers as we all crossed the threshold. Lucky for them, not all of us wanted sundaes, some just got a dish or a cone, and some just got drinks. We all had a big laugh when Temma's dad asked that we all be given individual bills. One server nearly fainted, but he was quick to say "Joke! Joke! I'm just kidding." We left them a big tip for all their hard work. A good time was had by all!
July:
Road-tripping with Temma, and the next two youngest in her family, Avalon and Zephyr. Not sure where we're going, but it is a road trip, knowing would take the fun out of it.
Drove to the coast and camped out on Hiraani's couch [Hiraani being Temma's oldest sister] for a couple nights. Went swimming and flew kites on the beach. Having a big bonfire tonight, should be awesome.
Went towards Durem and saw some really crazy stuff on the way. Strange shops run by strange people, strange roadside attractions run by even more strange people. Got some very interesting photos.
Circled back through Barton and then up to Gambino. Spending a few days at a small cabin. Might try my luck at the casino.
Won some at the casino, but not much. Better then losing, I guess. Will be cutting through Barton again and heading for the trench. Heard there's some cool animals and beautiful views.
Zephyr got bit by a nasty mosquito. Has a gross welt on his arm now. Went and stocked up on bug-spray and citronella candles. Hooked the tent to the van, so we can have more room but still be inside, away from all the damn bugs.
Aekea, here we come! Wrapping up the last few days visiting some museums and fancy restaurants. Especially looking forward the the Museum of Technology, the Planetarium, and the hands-on exhibits at the Tesla Museum.
August 1st : Only been back home for half-a-day, barely finished unpacking and throwing my junk in the wash, but I already have to pack again. I was going to spend August just bumming around home or hanging out on the beach. But, as it usually is with me, things never go as planned. But [yeah, another but] the change of plans is for the better. Mae had planned to go on a long cruise with Lennox, but then they had an unexpected guest join on.
Well, let's just start from the beginning, it'll make more sense. So, Lennox has a younger sister, Ayla, who's about 13. Anyways, Their mom and dad died in an accident when Ayla was 4 or 5. Since Lennox was much older then her, he stepped up and decided that he wanted to be her legal guardian, instead of risking losing her in the foster care system. Flash-forward to three days ago, Ayla was spending the summer at a performing arts camp. She wouldn't be coming home until the last week of this month. But there was a huge water main break that flooded a lot of the buildings and made it pretty much impossible for the camp to function properly. So all the kids were sent home.
So, since he didn't want to dump his kid sister with a friend or a sitter, he and Mae decided to alter their vacation plans. Instead of spending 3 weeks traveling in South America, they'll now be spending a total of 4 weeks on a cruise. It'll cover the Caribbean, then cross the Atlantic and cruise the Mediterranean. Somewhere in the middle of all that, they'll be visiting a few other countries and what not. Anyways! The reason my plans changed is that Mae asked me to go along and keep Ayla company. Cause who would want their kid-sis tagging along all the time, and who would really want to be the third wheel. Ayla and I get along well enough, so it should be a really great time for everyone.
August 29th : Wow! I literally had NO time to blog while I was gone. There was so much to do and see, so many cool places to visit, great events to take part in. With the stuff available to do on the boat and at the ports of call, I barely slept at all. And the sleep deprivation just made everything that much more awe inspiring. I took so many pictures and met so many wonderful people.
The highlight of the whole trip was spending 4 days in Ireland. We were in France when I felt like being totally spontaneous, so I packed some stuff and woke up Mae. She groggily gave me the go-ahead, so after a trip on the Chunnel and a ride across the Irish Sea, I was in my homeland...well, the land of my people...or more specifically, the homeland of the person whose letter helped give me life...If that makes any sense! It touched ground again in Dublin and immediately felt like I was finally somewhere I truly belonged. My hair didn't look out of place, my accent didn't make me sound alien. It was a glorious feeling. I was on such a high that I stopped by an antique shop, bought a little glass bottle with a stopper, and filled it with fresh irish earth. That way it will always be with me.
I'd write about everything else but it would take too long to write and even longer to read...So I'll spare everyone the pain! Let's just say, it was one of those trips that won't soon be forgotten.
- Reaghan
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Posted: Sun Sep 06, 2009 6:39 am
"Reaghan! Hey, Rea, you've got mail!" Maeko stood in the stairway, waving a pamphlet. "What?" Rea popped his head out of his bedroom, pulling off his headphones. "Mail, you've got mail." Mae laughed and rolled her eyes, leaving it on the stairs. That's odd...I almost never get mail. He descended the stairs and picked it up. All it was was a piece of computer paper, folded and taped shut, with his name written on it. With a shrug, he opened it and read what it said.
Amalgamated would like to invite you to a Campfire Get-Together
Open to Everyone, All Ages Welcome!
When?: Noon to ---
Where?: Fitz's Home
Why?: Why Not!
Feel free to bring drinks and snacks to share around.
Come and Celebrate the end of a wonderful Summer!
Look forward to seeing you there!
Hhhhmmm...weird... Rubbing his jawline, he sat there for a moment, then decided that he might as well go. He had wanted to stop by the building since he found the first note, but never managed to get over there. Now was a great chance to meet some people without all the pressure and discomfort that comes along with odd, new surroundings.
- - - - - - -
Reaghan pulled into the driveway and sat there for a moment, taking a few breaths before getting out. He walked to the door and, seeing that it was open, walked in. "Hello? Anyone home?...Did I get the right place?...Fitz?" He took a few steps and grabbed some candy out of the bowl. Stuffing it in his pocket, he called out again, "Hello?"
[RP in shop thread: Starts on Page 85/86]
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Posted: Sat Jan 16, 2010 11:27 pm
Fall Semester Summary:
Courses -
Historical Films - ART 249
Pop & Jazz - MUS 208
Private Instruction: Guitar - MUS 130
Rock Climbing & Mountaineering - PED 262
September 23rd - Only a week into classes, and I'm already exhausted. My fingers are aching something awful from guitar lessons twice a week. And the rock climbing course doesn't exactly help with the calluses. My hands and knees are all scraped up and raw...and we're still indoors, practicing in the gym before we head out into nature. I just hope it's all going to be worth it. I mean, I really need to get stronger, I can't stay scrawny like this forever...I need to bulk up, but not to the detriment of my studies or social life. We'll see, like Temma always says, be optimistic. My other courses are starting out pretty well. In Pop & Jazz we pretty much just sit around listening to music and discussing stuff. We have a textbook and have to do some reading, but the class is really laid back and casual. The film course is a bit more difficult. We're doing a lot of reading, summaries and critics articles, we won't really be watching anything for some time. I'm getting really anxious having to wait, but I'll cope.
October 15th - Classes are all going fabulous. I was achy for a while, but my fingers and hands have gotten used to their new functions. Have some little scars on the tips of my fingers, but they don't hurt and they're fading fast. Went to a concert last night, with my classmates from Pop & Jazz. It was a presentation by the Jeroboam Philharmonic, and they performed some crazy arrangements of pop songs. The concert was a blast! We all went out to after wards, to a pub down the street, for Wing Night. Had a great time. They had karaoke set-up with a few instruments, so a few of us got up and messed about. I also gave them a preview of the song I'm working on for Temma, and I got quite a few compliments from the crew. That helped give me the courage to go forward with the performance my guitar teacher has scheduled. The school does a weekly concert called Music at Midday. They usually bring in outside artists and musicians, but every once in a while they ask students to perform. I'm not sure what I want to play though, but I have a few days to figure that all out.
November 30th - Still recovering from this past weekend. My mountaineering class spent the weekend camping, hiking and climbing all over the mountains of Durem. We spent one of the nights in the North Durem caves. What a weird, primitive experience. It was an amazing time, but I'm sore all over. Scraped up my shins while I was repelling down a rather jagged rock face. And sleeping on the ground wreaked havoc with my back. Before the trip, Mae and I spent Thanksgiving with her parents. Was a great meal, I was stuffed to the brim! Oh, and mid-terms went off without a hitch, I got a 98% in my film course and a 97% in Pop & Jazz. No grades for my other two courses, since they're Pass/Fail, but for now I'm on the Pass side of it.
December 17th - Final exams happened two days ago, but I was lucky enough to find out my grades already. I received a 95% in Pop & Jazz and 99% in my film course. I was so shocked and pleased at that, since my film final was a presentation. I had to write a bit of a lecture with accompanying slide show and stuff. I hate public speaking. But after a big pep talk from Mae, I managed to get through it, and apparently did even better then I could have possibly thought. Not been seeing much of Temma lately, since it's Nutcracker season. Her first performance is in a few days and I managed to snag some opening night tickets. I can't wait, I love watching her dance, every time she takes to the stage I fall in love with her all over again.
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Posted: Sun Jan 17, 2010 11:59 pm
- Christmas & New Year - It was that time of year again. The weather was getting cold, the morning dew freezing to the grass, the crisp smell of fallen leaves. You could smell the imminent arrival of snow in the air. "Ugh...who turned off the sun?" Reaghan rubbed his hands together, blowing on them to warm them up, "Are we in the new Ice Age or something?" Maeko just shook her head and laughed, "Oh, come off it, the good weather can't last forever. We were lucky to have such a mild autumn." Clearing off a nearby bench, she lifted the top to reveal a hidden storage area, full of gloves, scarves and other winter apparel. Digging through the various accessories, she pulled out two scarves, a hat and two pairs of gloves. Putting on some gloves and the scarf, she tossed the other items to Reaghan. "If you think it's cold now, just wait until you get down into the basement." Reaghan grumbled, he hated the basement. There was hardly anything down there except spider webs, and it was always cold despite the presence of the furnace. But the one good thing down there were the decorations. Boxes upon boxes of Christmas ornaments and garlands, stringed lights and the antique Nativity.
Maeko headed towards the basement door, flicking on the light before heading down the slightly treacherous staircase. "Watch the steps", she called up to Reaghan, as always. Switching on another set of lights when they reached the bottom, the two of them began lifting and shifting the boxes up to the main floor of the house. "Isn't this a bit early? I mean, we've not bought the tree yet...shouldn't we wait and get that in first?" Maeko sighed, "Don't go ruining the fun...we'll get a tree...I just want to get some of the small stuff up and ready first." Rea nodded, giving Maeko a mock salute, and finished bringing up the last of the boxes.
--------------------------------------------------------
There was a knock at the door, followed by a thundering of knocks coming from much lower on the door. "The hell?" Rea cocked an eyebrow and got up from the couch to see what was going on. Opening the door, he smiled at the original knocker, his girlfriend Temma. Looking down he spotted the reason for the noise. "Sorry about that...they get a bit over-enthusiastic," Temma shrugged then put her hands on the shoulders of her two youngest nephews: five-year-old Finian and three-year-old Gwyn, "Hiraani was super busy and Fable is out of town for the weekend, so I got wrangled into babysitting them for the afternoon, I hope that won't be a problem." Ushering them inside, Rea shook his head, "Oh, I'm sure it'll be fine...Mae won't mind...Might be good to have a kid's opinion when picking out a tree."
The three of them took off their outerwear and headed into the living room. "Good afternoon, Temma, glad you could come along," Maeko said as she came down the stairs. "Thanks for inviting me, Mae. I bro-..." Before she could finish her sentence, Finian jumped up onto the window seat and yelled out, "Look! Snow! It's snowing!" Gwyn soon followed, or at least attempted to, "Snow, Snow!" Temma glanced sideways and laughed awkwardly, before shushing them and getting Finian down. "Sorry...They get so excited whenever they see snow...you'd think they'd never seen it before...But every snowfall is like the first." The three adults laughed, then headed into the kitchen to make some cocoa. "They'll soon tire of it...It's a shame it doesn't hold as much wonder as it used to...but so much loses it's luster when you grow up." Mae sighed. "Was Rea ever like that, Mae?" Temma asked, which incited even more laughter. "Hardly! He was just like he is now: Not happy unless he was at least 85 degrees." Rea nodded and smiled, "True!" Placing some mugs on a tray and transferring the cocoa into a carafe, they joined the kids again.
By that time Gwyn had managed, with a helpful shove from his brother, to get up onto the window seat. The two boys sat staring wide eyed out onto the swirling, white outdoors. "Can we go sledding today, Aunt Temma?" Finian pleaded with puppy-dog eyes. Temma wanted to give in, but held firm, "We'll have to see...no promises...now come on over and drink up this cocoa." After some time of quiet sipping and random comments about the weather or the week to come, the gang bundled back into their winter gear and headed out in search of a Christmas tree. Rea and Temma went with the boys, and Mae took her own car. Two-hours later, two burly men were hoisting and tying a large tree to Mae's roof. "Thank you! Oh, and you two go on...Take the boys sledding. Lennox will be coming over later, to help get it inside and set up...Just be home in time for dinner...around 7:30?" Reaghan nodded and gave Maeko a salute, "Sure thing, see ya!"
"Holly, Mistletoe, Big Fir Trees and Once again a splendid reason, to Celebrate the Festive Season. Christmas time is here." Maeko sang as she decorated, hooking stockings on the mantle and hanging up the garland. The tree had been up and in position for a few hours now, but wouldn't be decorated until after dinner. It was a tradition for Maeko and Reaghan to have a big dinner on the first Sunday in December, followed by decorating the tree and then sitting down to watch "It's a Wonderful Life". The following Sunday was set aside for baking and decorating cookies, when they would be joined by Mae's brothers and their wives or girlfriends. "Hey, hey...I'm not late, am I?" Rea stamped the snow off his shoes and hung up his coat. "Not at all...just in time, really...dinner will be done in 5 minutes.Then we can get down to it." The two of them headed into the kitchen to await the ding of the stove. Soon enough they were eating, laughing and discussing where to hang what ornament. And not soon after that, the tree was gleaming and glistening with all it's glory. With an approving and self-satisfied grin, they hunkered down on the couch and started the movie.
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Ah! Christmas! What a day! People coming in and out, talking, presents, eating, more talking, more presents, more eating. It's neverending! Sometimes I think I might go mad, but then there's always something that brings it all down a notch, mellows everyone out. Like watching Christmas movies. Just splayed out on the couch with no talking, or rustling of wrapping paper. But once it's over, the chatter and laughter and singing start up again. And the eating...oh, the eating...Maeko always said I could stand to gain a few pounds, and I think she's finally gotten her wish. Only bad thing about Christmas was the day after. I went to Temma's for Boxing Day and everyone built up these snow forts and had a big snowball fight. I got smacked in the face with one and it snapped my glasses. I know, I should have worn my contacts, but it's too late for "shouldas". Anyway, I was due for a new pair, so it was pretty good timing. Just bad aim. Ended up with a nasty bruise and a bit of a scrap. But it's all nearly healed now. It'll probably have disappeared all together by New Year's Eve.
- Reaghan
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New Year's Eve! Oh, ho ho! I think I'll just keep that to myself. Let's just say, A Good Time was Had by All. wink
- Reaghan
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Posted: Mon Jan 18, 2010 12:00 am
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